Perhaps I won't be eviscerated if I ask this question in the skep group:

[beam me up scottie]

Why is it not only okay but heroic for Code Pink protesters to disrupt hearings, but when anti-abortion protesters do it DUers are outraged and refer to them as terrorists?

[semillama]

1. Bias for the side you like, of course.

Non-violent tactics of protest should be supported, even if the cause is one against you!

[beam me up scottie]

4. I dare you to post that in GD!

I'm too much of a coward to even hint at the hypocrisy on any of those threads.

[Warpy]

18. Color me yellow, too

I support their right to their opinion but I do admit a certain sense of satisfaction when the screaming fetus meemies are unceremoniously carted out of the room. They do seem to resent it so much.

Anyone who engages in civil disobedience has to be willing to accept the consequences and that applies to people I like as well as those I'd love to lock up in a booby hatch.

I'm not going to tempt fate on GD, either.

[beam me up scottie]

22. Exactly.

There's a time and a place for it. If anti-war protesters dress up and act like clowns for any other reason than to protest war, their message is lost.

[TZ]

2. I don't like zealots of any stripe

Period. as said above there is alot of stuff here thats okay if a dem does it but not okay if a repub does it.
One of the things here that sickens me is the blatantly sexist comments about Sarah Palin. Yeah, I don't like her, but some things are just out of bounds to say period...

[beam me up scottie]

5. I said the same thing when I visited the Gungeon recently.

Anti-choice posters want to be able to prevent me from owning a gun make me livid. Nothing is as black and white as one-issue activists seem to think.

[LeftishBrit]

45. My biggest problem is with right-wing xenophobia appearing on DU...

specifically the occasional fearmongering about 'New World Order' and 'One World Government'. This is a meme of religious fundies and right-libertarians and has no place on the left. I am increasingly intolerant of this, because the equivalent Europhobic meme in Britain helped the BNP to get two Euro-MPs elected (yes, I'll never understand why extreme Europhobes should even want to be members of the Europaean Parliament; but it happens). I'm not even wildly pro-EU; I was once a moderate Euro-sceptic and am now just moderately pro-EU; but the paranoia really gets to me.

[salvorhardin]

3. Tribalism I suppose

Our side is good, therefore everything they do is good. The other side is bad, therefore they can do no good. Let's label appropriately. Go team!

It's the same reason I suppose why NPR can't grow a pair of nads even remotely big enough to call waterboarding torture and instead hides behind euphemisms and namby-pamby weasel words.

[beam me up scottie]

6. I know, I don't listen much anymore.

I thought they'd stand up since the democrats are back in power.

[salvorhardin]

7. I've heard a couple of interviews with the NPR ombudsman

It's absolutely sickening. Especially this interview from On The Media: http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2009/06/26/02

Well, there are two sides to the issue. And I'm not sure, why is it so important to call something torture? You know, when you describe the technique, I think that sounds like torture to me. Isn't it the job of the news media to put the facts out there, to give as much detailed information and to put it in context?

Yep, gotta have fair and balanced reporting, eh? Never mind that the two sides are most of the rest of the entire world and the former Bush administration. I suppose next they'll be calling Intelligent Design an "alternative theory of evolution".

On edit: I still listen to NPR constantly throughout most days because I usually can't work during the day with music playing and the alternative is to either listen to the dog or the local AM hate-radio station. It's a tossup between who's more informative some days.

[beam me up scottie]

8. It's the only choice down here.

I don't have the stomach to surf through the stations during the morning talk radio time slot.

[JitterbugPerfume]

9. I hate that sort of thing

no matter which side is doing it . I am embarassed by code pinks shenanigans.

[beam me up scottie]

11. Same here.

I knew there would be a backlash and the cheerleaders would lose their memories.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

10. It's a variant of the Tolstoy Syndrome

Where certain people are looking for ideas and actions that support their own views and dismiss those that don't provide the same confirmation.

[beam me up scottie]

13. Hypocrisy squared.

If the dozens who spit on anyone who dared question cp's actions were intellectually honest they would be defending the anti-choice protesters.

[trotsky]

12. The same reason why everything that happened under Chimpy...

was a GIANT CONSPIRACY AGAINST LIBERALS OMFG!!! Whereas the freepers now have similar conniptions over every Obama admin action as a CRACKDOWN ON FREEDOM-LOVING CONSERVATIVES OMFG!!!1!

[beam me up scottie]

14. Bugs me too.

I kept waiting for someone to open a window, jeez it stinks in GD.

[Orrex]

15. One possibility

Code Pink usually mounts its protests at institutional functions, where the target is the State or some other public entity, but anti-abortion protesters engage in direct attacks upon women seeking access to health clinics.

Of course, anti-abortionists are also condemned for waving their aborted fetus posters along roadsides, but I think that this, too, is emblematic of attacks or protests geared against citizens rather than institutions.



None of this contradicts anything else posted here; there is an element of tribalism that's hard to deny.

[beam me up scottie]

23. I will gladly take on anti-abortion protesters on their turf, I was a clinic escort in the '80's.

But two of them disrupted the hearings today - exactly like cp did many times - and I was disgusted by the hypocrisy.

[uppityperson]

47. That is my take also. What is done by The State vs individuals

[realisticphish]

16. for the same reason

that graffiti on YOUR house is vandalism, while graffiti on someone ELSE'S house is art

We're them, they're they, and that's all there is :shrug:

[beam me up scottie]

24. I just kept waiting for someone braver than I to point it out.

And it never happened.

I should have done it but I can't hold off the feces-throwing screaming howler monkeys like I used to.

[realisticphish]

26. you know

very often i get angry enough to wade in. but for the most part, i've stopped bothering on DU. maybe I'm getting more cynical, maybe DU is really changing, but there seems to be a lot more hostility on here than there was even 2-3 years ago.

Things that I think would be immediately condemned are inexplicably praised. Hateful ad hominem goes on nonstop. It's just wearying posting anywhere other than in here, or the Lounge

[beam me up scottie]

27. I thought it was just me.

I have off-the-scale strife 24/7 in my offline world and I used to come to DU for solace.

If it wasn't for you guys (and that famous DU sarcasm/black humour) I'd have bagged it long ago.

[realisticphish]

28. ditto

in fact, I have a couple times, but always come back for this group. Even the Lounge has gotten bad lately. I guess the 5 years and 10000 posts keep me coming back too. I've invested to much :)

[beam me up scottie]

29. I keep forgetting it's been that long.

And it does make you a little territorial, gotta keep those pipsqueak newbs in their place, you know? :D

Posters in this group and A/A have also withstood all of the wars in the main forums without turning on each other, that's pretty awesome.

[JitterbugPerfume]

35. no BMUS

it is not just you . I never believed before that Democrats could be so stupid , and sometimes cruel.

but I sure do believe it now.

[beam me up scottie]

37. It's really sad.

This place has seen us through some of our nation's darkest hours and now it's turned into a high school locker room.

[woo me with science]

17. I have often wanted to post two versions of threads,

one identifying the protagonists as Democrats and one labeling them as Republicans, just to see the difference in the responses. I haven't thought of a way to do it so that people won't see both threads, though.

[salvorhardin]

19. Just collaborate with another poster.

After all, we're all NWO and Big Pharma shills, it's about time we conspired. :D

[realisticphish]

20. actually

those who have posted in this thread alone are 47% of the posters on DU.

True story.

[beam me up scottie]

21. You guys kill me...

:rofl:

Off to the shower now, bbs.

[semillama]

32. Off topic, but do you have that bumper sticker in your sig line on your car?

Because I saw a car with that sticker the other day, and seeing how we live in the same town, perhaps that was you.

[realisticphish]

42. no, i wish

i found it on DU. I didn't know it was a real bumper sticker. Now I'm going to have to go look...

[beam me up scottie]

25. That would be marvelous.

A little social experiment would be very interesting.

[mr blur]

30. Yak only knows. But I guess,

it's the old "If we do it, it's good and if they do it, it's bad, by definition."

[beam me up scottie]

33. I wish I could stop expecting more from the left.

You'd think I'd know better by now.

sigh...

[LeftishBrit]

31. I think there's a difference between people who protest the government/ an orgnaized group...

and those who picket private citizens going about their own lives.

So I think both Code Pink, and the anti-abortion types who disrupted the hearings, are within their rights. But I feel differently about anti-abortionists who attack a woman going to have an abortion, or her doctor.

[beam me up scottie]

34. I agree, but my question was specifically about yesterday's disruptors.

There were only two of them and they put on a rather boring show compared to cp protesters. The comments in the threads I was reading were so over the top I was shocked by the hypocrisy.

[dropkickpa]

36. I agree

The people yesterday were sadly disorganized. They need to get color coordinated shirts and hats and shit to be proper disruptors. Otherwise they just come off as lone wolf looney toons. I fully support their right to protest, but they need to not half ass it. I want spectacle and pizazz!

Shit, these hearings are so fucking boring, I'm finding myself praying for a streaker or SOMETHING to liven them up. They've been very predictable and blah.

[beam me up scottie]

38. Streaking is sadly underrated.

I was just a kid but I remember seeing Walter Cronkite smile his way through a report on streakers.

[dropkickpa]

39. imagine peni flappin it's way 'cross senate's floor

Who would crack and would stay cool?

[beam me up scottie]

40. Even Pat Leahy would crack a smile.

We need volunteers, how about it boys?

[LeftishBrit]

50. Oh you're bringing back childhood memories for me too!

Anyone remember this song, by Ray Stevens?


(Reporter):
Hello, everybody, this is your action news reporter with all the news
that is news across the nation, on the scene at the supermarket. There
seems to have been some disturbance here. Pardon me, sir, did you see
what happened?

(Witness):
Yeah, I did. I's standin' overe there by the tomaters, and here he
come, running through the pole beans, through the fruits and vegetables,
nekkid as a jay bird. And I hollered over t' Ethel, I said, "Don't
look, Ethel!" But it's too late, she'd already been incensed.

(Chorus)
Here he comes, look at that, look at that
There he goes, look at that, look at that
And he ain't wearin' no clothes

Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Look at that, look at that
Fastest thing on two feet
Look at that, look at that
He's just as proud as he can be
Of his anatomy
He goin' give us a peek

Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Look at that, look at that
He likes to show off his physique
Look at that, look at that
If there's an audience to be found
He'll be streakin' around
Invitin' public critique

(Reporter):
This is your action news reporter once again, and we're here at the gas
station. Pardon me, sir, did you see what happened?

(Witness):
Yeah, I did. I's just in here gettin my car checked, he just appeared
out of the traffic. Come streakin' around the grease rack there, didn't
have nothin' on but a smile. I looked in there, and Ethel was gettin'
her a cold drink. I hollered, "Don't look, Ethel!" But it was too
late. She'd already been mooned. Flashed her right there in front of
the shock absorbers.

(Chorus)
He ain't crude, look at that, look at that
He ain't lewd, look at that, look at that
He's just in the mood to run in the nude

Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Look at that, look at that
He likes to turn the other cheek
Look at that, look at that
He's always makin' the news
Wearin' just his tennis shoes
Guess you could call him unique

(Reporter):
Once again, your action news reporter in the booth at the gym, covering
the disturbance at the basketball playoff. Pardon me, sir, did you see
what happened?

(Witness):
Yeah, I did. Half time, I's just goin' down thar to get Ethel a snow
cone. And here he come, right out of the cheap seats, dribbling, right
down the middle of the court. Didn't have on nothing but his PF's.
Made a hook shot and got out through the concessions stand. I hollered up
at Ethel, I said, "Don't look, Ethel!" But it was too late. She'd
already got a free shot. Grandstandin', right there in front of the
home team.

(Chorus) (Witness):
Oh, yes, they call him the Streak Here he comes again.
Look at that, look at that Who's that with him?
The fastest thing on two feet Ethel? Is that you, Ethel?
Look at that, look at that What do you think you're
He's just as proud as he can be doin'? You git your
Of his anatomy clothes on!
He's gonna give us a peek

Oh, yes, they call him the Streak Ethel! Where you goin'?
Look at that, look at that Ethel, you shameless hussy!
He likes to show off his physique ! Say it isn't so,
Look at that, look at that Ethel! Ethelllllll!!!
If there's an audience to be found
He'll be streakin' around
Invitin' public critique.

[onager]

46. Hush! You'll make Lindsey Graham cry!

Best comment I've read all day was at HuffPost.

Someone asked why Graham was attacking Sotomayor so harshly:

"He's still mad because Ashley Wilkes picked Melanie over him."

:rofl:

[EvolveOrConvolve]

43. I don't think any of us would disagree with that

The anti-abortion protesters with the pictures of dead babies on the side of the road are disgusting and shouldn't be allowed to display their shit where kids can see it. And I hope it's obvious that none of us condone the attacks on abortion doctors, just because we agree that they have the same right to protest as Code Pink.

But, this OP is about the hypocrisy of DU posters who cheer every time Code Pink interrupts some serious government meeting with their protests, but consider the anti-abortionists to be out of line doing the same exact thing.

[LeftishBrit]

44. Fair point - anyone has a right to peaceful protest

I suppose

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

41. Morality.

Code pink = moral

Anti-abortion = immoral

[Odin2005]

48. Black-and-White thinking.

Same kind of people who support authoritarians like Chavez as long as they are "good" authoritarians. They have an all-good vs. all -evil attitude in which the ends justify the means. It is the same level of mental development as the Freepers.

[salvorhardin]

49. Well to be fair, we live in a culture that encourages that kind of thinking

Media continually presents stories as battles between diametrically opposed camps, Christianity, especially fundamentalist evangelical Christianity, encourages a good v. evil view of the world, sports as metaphor with its winners v. losers mentality has permeated almost every aspect of culture... Need I go on? Can you really expect most people to rise above this level of training to make balanced, critical comparisons among a variety of options or recognize that even rational people can come to different decisions given the same information?