Creep: John Coughlan

September 27, 2006 in Creep

Today’s creep paid me a visit here at 4&20 blackbirds and left me an unpleasant little message. I deleted it, because…well…it was rude and vaguely threatening and I didn’t want others to think I condoned that sort of comment.

But then I was thinking it would be better to air out this kind of thinking, expose it to the light.

I should mention up front I believe in freedom of speech for all. Coughlan’s free to spew his hate — on his own blog or in public. But I also believe that you should bear responsibility for your words. John Coghlan can wish me pain and suffering, but he should suffer public humiliation for doing so. That’s why I’m posting his words here.

u should pack your liberal ass up and move back to massachusetts, are u kidding me?

if you really believe half the sh*t you say here then you should be the moron being tortured for being so **** stupid. When this nation falls ( and it will) people like you will be the reason it fell and also the first ones killed by the new rulers.

Where to begin with this? What got me was the belief that our nation’s existence is under threat from (one presumes) terrorists – how ridiculous is that? We survived foreign occupation, two world wars, and a running 25-year threat of imminent nuclear annihilation. Tell me, how in the world does terrorism compare? Answer: it doesn’t. Only in the paranoid delusions of a few bed-wetting radical right-wingers.

Honestly, it’s people like these that make you take the psychological analysis of Bush supporters seriously. According to a report by Jost and Glaser, conservatives exhibit the following traits…“anxiety about death,” “dogmatism,” “needs for order, structure and ‘cognitive closure’ – the need for a firm belief on a given topic.”

Jost noted that different economic groups may have different motivations for adopting right-wing ideologies. Disadvantaged individuals might be more likely to be motivated by a need to reduce fear and uncertainty, while the advantaged might be motivated by self-interest and a desire for social dominance….If the system is challenged, or threatened, then those who suffer most under it have the most rationalizing to do. “One way to minimize dissonance would be to redouble one’s commitment and support for the system, much as hazed initiates pledge increased loyalty to the fraternity that hazes them….”

Of particular interest in the context of the PIPA studies are Jost et al.’s observations on conservatives’ attitudes toward uncertainty. Uncertainty is perceived as a threat..

Thus, anything that challenges the conservative’s dogmatic ordering of the world would be considered a threat not only to the individual’s ideas, but to his perception of his world. And that would unsettle the poor soul. Maybe enough to get him to write hate mail to liberal bloggers.

Do I think this psychological profile is true for all conservatives, or even most of them? No. But it goes a long way in explaining people like today’s creep, or the 35 percent that stubbornly cling to the Bush presidency and policies despite the overwhelming amount of evidence that shows he is an idiot and amateur authoritarian.

People. Get a grip.

Links…

September 27, 2006 in Links

Guess who visits Liberal Wacko? Our favorite GOP state representative, John Sinrud.

Matt is all over Butte Standard editor Gerry O’Brien for his prevaricating over the Butte seating scandal.

Matt also speaks up against torture, agree that it’s a moral issue and calling on Barack Obama to shut up or put up.

Bill Sali to be probed by the FEC? What a shocker. Julie’s got more details here.

Colby on the recently released NIE and the President’s unwillingness to face reality.

Slate on Bush’s reaction to the recently released NIE: “Can Bush Read?”

Not only does the Iraq War create terrorists, the Iraqis want us out, too.

But then the NIE identifies “leftists” as a domestic terrorist threat. No mention of right-wing militant white supremacist groups.

Ugh. It appears that the CIA kidnaps people and sends them to foreign countries because they don’t have enough evidence to prosecute. Could it be they don’t have evidence because they could be innocent?

House bans building permanent military bases in Iraq? How did the GOP leadership let this go this far? Could it be…some integrity being displayed?

Kos gives a pep talk to folks considering quittin’ over a Dem collapse on torture.

Kos on the George Allen deer head scandal.

Someone sends Olbermann a death threat for speaking out against Bush. Editor & Paper drills the NY Post for treating it like a joke.

This is hilarious…random people hold up signs supporting Clinton on a live Fox program.

All you need to know: terror, war, and torture

September 27, 2006 in Bush administration, Iraq, Terrorism

Here it is, all you need to know about the Bush administration, the Iraq War, terrorism, and extra-Constitutional activities:

The Iraq War worsens the threat of terrorism.

Bush’s extra-legal activities do not result in increased arrests or convictions.

Torture is immoral.

Any questions?