But there's something more troubling about all this, and it's that they were so blatant in their willingness to threaten violence if they don't get their way on abortion. I hate to say it, but I think the aftermath of the Tucson shooting is that there's even more fear of speaking out against right wing hate speech, incendiary language, and paranoia. I wrote about this for the Guardian's Comment Is Free today. A sample:
Despite the facts on the ground, the right was able to quell discussion about the role that their paranoia and violent rhetoric likely played in this event, particularly with regard to the political figure whom, among others, Loughner chose to shoot. Sarah Palin started shouting "blood libel", and it was all so unpleasant that many in the mainstream media decided it was better to let important questions lie than to provoke her into worse assaults on decency and good taste.
Unfortunately, the effect of the successful rightwing freakout has been to scare most of the mainstream media from talking about domestic terrorism honestly at all.
Please read the whole thing, which includes analysis of RedState blatantly using inciting language on the anniversary of Roe, and the threats against an elderly college professor that have been inspired by Glenn Beck's rantings.
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