Parkinson's Patient: "It seemed that the whole crew of Tea-baggers around me had "just snapped."

[kpete]

When I read how Mr. Reichart understands his behavior at the rally, he still seems unreflective to me.

I snapped" is an assertion, not an explanation. As such, it resembles the unreflective and sarcastic statements he made at the rally. What’s more, by simply telling me that he "snapped" he fails to address what I was doing, (sitting there with a sign) which caused him to snap, and how his behaviors was part of the larger context of Tea Party people surrounding him.

Mr. Reichart continues his non-reflective, one-sided assertions, when he says that he (alone?) can set the terms for "starting the healing process". At most, he might be able to "hope to start" such a process, particularly since he also asserted that this was his very first political rally. Shouldn’t the aggrieved have a say in what might start a ‘healing process?" Or even what might start negotiations toward reflecting what such a healing process might look like to both parties?

While the two guys who accosted me are drawing all the attention, from my vantage it seemed that the whole crew of Tea-baggers around me had "just snapped." The language around me was rough and sarcastic and both shrill and loud. Does Mr. Reichart feel any responsibility for for choosing his friends? You know what they used to say: "When in Berlin, do as the Berliners do." It seems to me that what he did was merely emblematic of what everyone else on his side of the street was doing.

I could wish that abdication responsible and courteous citizenship is not part of Mr. Reichert’s politics. But the whole episode left me with an impression that Tea Bagger politics is a politics of simplistic and hostile assertion.

......................

more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/30/852367/-Parkinsons-Patient-who-Sat-in-the-Face-of-Teabagger-Anger-Shares-His-Thoughts

[Myrina]

1. Snarling pack of dogs/mob mentality ....

Pissed off angry unemployed rednecks gathered in a group = teabagger mob. :scared:

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Exactly. That is a perfect description.

[HereSince1628]

2. Personally, I tend to favor people who use 'I' statements

rather than 'you' statements.

That does create an odd predicament for me.

[CanonRay]

3. "simplistic and hostile assertion"

That about covers it nicely.

[HughMoran]

4. Tea Bagger politics is a politics of simplistic and hostile assertion AKA anti-intellectual populism

What would these ignorant screaming fools do if they had their way?

[ruggerson]

6. This guy is an American hero

n/t

[NotThisTime]

7. Agreed... what happened to him on that street is an American tragedy

This isn't about a bunch of tea bagger's of various backgrounds, it's about what they felt the liberty to do to this man who has worked all his life in a professional capacity, and is now afflicted with a terrible disease who was speaking out on behalf of himself and all the others who need health care. This man is the face of so many who cannot speak up.

[midnight]

8. Those who live with physical and mental limitations are ignored or worse-they

are targeted as a burden. This recent "tea bag" noise that is being funded by the insurance co. and their wealthy co horts are thoughtless and greedy. Those who gravitate to this movement have those characteristics too. But it is just a disctraction to prevent the real discussion about the health care needs of our country meet. All I can say is: mission accomplished.

[Love Bug]

9. "I snapped" is a lame excuse, not a reason

It implies the person just couldn't help it. The reason Reichart "snapped" is because he let himself be whipped up into a froth of hatred by his constantly feeding his mind on hatred. He's still responsible for his actions. At least he admitted it. There may be hope for him yet.

[LeftinOH]

10. "Snapped" is a cop-out excuse for thoughtlessness; not buyin' it.

[Oilwellian]

11. A link to the article posted in DKos member's diary

Health-reform Rally Heckler Says He's Sorry and Scared

The man who berated and tossed dollar bills at a man with Parkinson's disease during a health care protest last week says he is remorseful and scared.

"I snapped. I absolutely snapped and I can't explain it any other way," said Chris Reichert of Victorian Village, in a Dispatch interview.

In his first comments on an incident that went viral across the Internet and was repeatedly played on cable television news shows, Reichert said he is sorry about his confrontation with Robert A. Letcher, 60, of the North Side. Letcher, a former nuclear engineer who suffers from Parkinson's, was verbally attacked as he sat before anti-health care demonstrators in front of Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy's district office last week.

"He's got every right to do what he did and some may say I did too, but what I did was shameful," Reichert said. "I haven't slept since that day."

"I made a donation (to a local Parkinson's disease group) and that starts the healing process."

More...

A comment in the DKos thread said it best:

The only remorse Reichert had was that his cowardice was caught on video and posted on the internet for the world to see.
(Reichert's apology is an insincere, self-serving lie as hollow as his head!)

Chris "the COWARD" Reichert and his family are now on the receiving end of what he was quick to dish out to an innocent, morally-decent, peaceful, highly-intelligent gentlemen. It's the reaction to his action -- fundamental physics and the Law of the Universe (Kharma) which a man with 2 masters degrees and a Ph.D from Cornell can easily understand but is oblivious to white bigot trash and flaming asshole teabaggers.

Albert Einstein said, "Great Spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."

Mr. Letcher is a Great Spirit, a gentleman, a decent human being.

Reichert is a Coward & Bigot who isn't capable of becoming a mediocre mind.

[FraDon]

12. Beware the spit-shined sandals …

… we used to say in the late 60s.

The crowds are peppered with provocateurs.

"just snapped" !? Not bloody likely.

[thereismore]

13. Crowd mentality. We all are capable of another Krystallnacht. We would not all

start it, mind you.