Every once in a while, this blog gets a hit because of a rather disturbing search.

Here’s one example.

http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=this%20country%20should%20exacute%20liberals&btnG=Google%20Search

In case you can’t find the search words in that, they are “this country should exacute liberals.” “Exacute…” That’s nice. A hateful SOB that can’t spell. I found it a little reassuring that of all the finds that this search came up with, it appeared to me that the vast majority were pointing out such lunacy, not promoting it.

I understand that there are really “Two Americas” out there, Rachel Maddow’s beliefs notwithstanding. There are a huge amount of people out there who really do think President Obama is the Anti-Christ, or that liberals really want to destroy the country. They actually believe that. But it is really sobering when you come across people who advocate violence. I had an earlier post about the hate mail that Jessica Lynch got because she started telling the truth about what happened to her.

I understand that the two sides are pretty much locked down in their positions, so that neither side is going to listen to the other or admit that they might have a valid point now and then. So, it’s rather difficult to argue that “my side” is correct and righteous and the “other side” is full of crap, because there is someone on the other side who is arguing exactly the same thing. Therefore, the argument should become (but usually doesn’t) one about demonstratable truths. Which side really was correct about thus and such (for instance, the presence of WMD’s in Iraq)? But in today’s society, facts do not seem to matter as much as loudly articulated opinion. Facts do not hold much sway anymore, and for that I hold the Bush adminstration responsible. Conservative talk radio certainly started this, but the Bush administration codified it. That is the way the conservatives of this country operate now. All basis for having a rational, reasoned discussion is now gone. I think that is probably one of the worst things that the Bush adminstration did to this country. But my point here is this. What else can we look at to see the difference in the two sides?

Here’s one. It takes no great effort for anyone who can use Google to find all sorts of threats, veiled and otherwise, made by conservatives. Against Obama, against liberals, against anyone who disagrees with the conversative world view. It is much more difficult to find that amount of venom and hatred in the form of actual threats coming from liberals. Our extreme radicals might go out and do stupid stuff like spike trees to keep loggers from cutting them down, burn down huge McMansions under construction to protest our society’s use of resources, let loose a bunch of minks from a mink farm to protest animal cruelty, etc. I cannot remember anything (the 60’s Weathermen aside) that comes close to threats of physical intimidation and violence that we see coming from the extreme right these days. And we have loons like Michelle Malking egging them on, and then have the gall to say that they aren’t responsible. No, it’s perfectly reasonable to publish the name, address and phone number of someone you disagree with. What do you expect is going to happen, Michelle? No, of course you didn't mean that your listeners should call up that phone number and threaten the person who answers. How could that every enter our minds?

I really do not see the two sides of this country coming together any time soon. The right has just become too ensconsed in their belief that everything that Democrats and liberals do is evil, and must be opposed with all their might. For our side, we have gotten pretty damn tired of being threatened and insulted with everything that conservatives can throw at us, such as “traitors”, “Saddam lover”, “terrorist sympathizer”, etc. Liberals and Democrats are now finally fighting back, after getting pummeled since the Nixon administration, and the conservatives and Republicans don’t like it.

I do believe one thing that the wingnut right keeps pointing out. Their side has the guns. If our society starts breaking down and everyone reverts to the days of the wild west where the gun ruled everything, I know which side is going to lose. And that does not make me feel very secure.

UPDATE: Here's more rightwing lunacy (courtesy of Sadly, No!) This guy takes it several steps further when he muses on what should happen next after all the liberals in this country are killed. And he is apparently quite serious about it, too. And here I thought openly advocating murder was against the law. The mindset of these people is absolutely amazing. This guy apparently wants to murder the 52% of the people in this country that voted for Obama, I guess, because he's upset that "liberals are destroying this country." Godzilla-sized irony, that.