In reality, their spheres of influence cater to a very specific, but large group, the far right wing. And in that group, are it’s outliers, the fringe people. The ones who sit on the fence, hanging on every word of people like this, waiting for justification, and validation to act. The ones who secretly plot to overthrow government officials, or take up arms against elected officials, shoot cops, etc…, but all they are waiting for, is that ONE person who has enough clout or fame, or group of people to come out publicly, and say what they believe privately in their hearts and minds. Someone to validate their actions. They say the things they say, KNOWING THIS. They KNOW that there are those, who would take their words literally, and act on them. They HOPE that they don’t act, but deep down inside, they KNOW that there are those out there who hang on every word they say, and are just waiting for that one statement of validation.
I’ve had this argument with friends over this in the past few days, that a person is ultimately responsible for their own actions and whatever a person says, bears no direct responsibility on the actions of another. And to a certain extent, that is true. Most everyday people don’t have a very large sphere of influence, if one at all. People who KNOW YOU, they KNOW the kind of person you are, and deep down they know most of what you say is just words, and that it would take a very extreme act for you follow through on them. Like when you tell someone “Someone should take him behind the building and beat the piss out of him”, they know you’re not serious. Also, you don’t hold enough sway over someone, or a group of people to get them to act on your behalf to carry out said beating. You wouldn’t be mad if it happened, but you wouldn’t justify it being done either. In the end, for the most part, you know the personalities of the people you associate with, and what they would and would not do. You know what you CAN say, and CANNOT say around them.
Now in the case of your right wing politicos, talking heads, pundits, elected officials, commentators, etc… who say these hate filled, and divisive statements, is that their message is getting through to hundreds of thousands, and potentially millions of people. They don’t know the personalities of each and every person that they have the ear of. Most of these people, their target audience are already angry, and seething over problems both real and ginned up, but are also rational people for the most part. They KNOW not to take everything literally. They KNOW Rush Limbaugh does not advocate murder, or that elected officials don’t advocate the taking up of guns against other elected officials that they do not agree with ideologically. BUT There are the fringe people who also get that message. And to them the call to arms is a message of justification. A message of “What I believe is RIGHT because an elected official/main stream commentator/person running for high elected office said it!” This is all they need in order to get off the fence and act. A rallying cry of sorts.
So yes, I do believe in the first amendment. Say what you feel. But don’t be surprised when some psycho does something, because you KNOWINGLY gave validation to their cause with YOUR inflammatory speech. I heard this in a rap song, and I think it aptly applies to hate speech and rhetoric in the political climate today. “Just because you’re free to say it, did you need to say it?”
