Health Care Reform Opponents Turning to Threats, Violence

Image from source, Politico

My prediction, after the passage of health care reform, was that this massive over-the-top rage from conservatives and tea baggers would fizzle out. I still think it will, eventually. But not right away. They've had their paranoid, delusional anger stoked by FOX "News" for a steady year. Big corporations have funded their "grass roots" gatherings, and given them a place to congregate where everyone else also hates the Marxist, communist, Muslim, statist, fascist, Maoist, Kenyan, socialist, black President Obama and all of his associates. Right-wing talk radio has spewed forth the afore-mentioned adjectives, along with many others at the speed of a machine gun. And politicians like John Boehner, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann have visibly and vocally egged them on.

Health care reform was painted as the most evil, anti-American, democracy-ending issue to ever roll down the pike. This thing was puffed up as a death-blow to our very nation. And it passed. Some recognize all the invective as merely political rhetoric, over-inflated hyperbole to get the electorate agitated enough to pay attention (and grab ratings, of course). But we aren't an overly bright nation. Or rather, the dumb tends to rise to the top. And the crazy. What do these now rabid people now do with all their rage? We're starting to find out. The question is, will this ultimately fizzle? Or will it just gather more steam?

[Excerpt]

The backlash: Reform turns personal

Reps. Louise Slaughter and Bart Stupak have received death threats.

A tea party participant published what he thought was Rep. Thomas Perriello’s home address and urged disgruntled voters to “drop by” for a “good face-to-face chat.”

Vandals broke windows at Slaughter’s office in New York and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’s office in Arizona. . .

Read more at: Politico