Hate speech from Alan Grayson?

[Control-Z]

I keep hearing that Alan Grayson was as bad as the right. His and the president's (for "gun to a knife fight" comment) are the only names I've heard as examples when they insist we are as bad as they are - that both sides use the same dangerous rhetoric.

So, what did Alan Grayson say? I don't remember. I thought he was one of our best reps ever and I loved his rants. I can't imagine forgetting had he actually said something distasteful and threatening.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. If you get sick

die...

Words to that effect on the well, regarding GOP Health systems.

[Control-Z]

5. You mean in reference to

what the wingnut's health care policy would be?

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Yep... but somehow that is comparable to oh

Rush playing I Killed the Sheriff today.

[Lint Head]

2. I have heard nothing he has said that was not good for this country.

I'm sure there are others on DU that disagree.

[RoccoR5955]

3. That's because it was aimed at the GOP...

Not that it was aimed at killing them, just that they want you to die, and what they could buy with the tax breaks they were giving the ultra-rich.

They are grasping at straws.

[Control-Z]

9. So I didn't miss anything?

I didn't think so. They're using a strong statement of truth made by Grayson and trying to spin it. That's all they've got. And yet they will continue to defend their behavior and insist ours is as bad.

It really is amazing how much our party, as a whole, practices respectful behavior.

Edit: for clarity

[CC]

14. Yes they will keep on defending

their behavior while insisting it is us that went over the top. Why shouldn't they? So far they have gotten away with it. The MSM and supposed liberal media will follow the rights storyline so that by the time they are finished it looks like the right was always innocent and being picked on by the left/center. The conservative/right-wing cult of believers will add to the echo and intimidate any average person that should try to speak up with the real truth. Eventually it will fade away as old news while nothing really changes.

Grayson said the GOP health plan was basically don't get sick and if you do, die quickly.

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/09/dem-reps-take-on-gop-health-plan-die-quickly-if-you-get-sick.php

[Poboy]

26. You type the truth.

"their behavior while insisting it is us that went over the top. Why shouldn't they? So far they have gotten away with it. The MSM and supposed liberal media will follow the rights storyline so that by the time they are finished it looks like the right was always innocent and being picked on by the left/center. The conservative/right-wing cult of believers will add to the echo and intimidate any average person that should try to speak up with the real truth. Eventually it will fade away as old news while nothing really changes. "

[malaise]

4. Grayson never used hate speech

He described his opponent as a member of the Taliban.

[Ineeda]

6. Blunt speech is not the same as hate speech. n/t

[cynatnite]

Nailed it. n/t

[Kingofalldems]

7. Freepers hated him

[notadmblnd]

10. but they can't quote anything he or others have said

No, Alan Grayson has called for no one's assassination as some republicans have done. He has said things like republicans want Americans to hurry and die if they have no health care, but it does not equate to outright calls for assassinations. Not by a long shot.

[Control-Z]

11. He spoke

a passionate truth about what would happen to us if we got what the republicans wanted for us. He never said he wanted it for us, or for them. He was trying to prevent more deaths.

[notadmblnd]

15. I understand that. What he has said in no way compares to what the others have said

And it bothers me that none of the talking heads have pointed out the difference so far.

[Denninmi]

12. Isn't projection and blaming the victim a classic fascist technique?

The Nazi's certainly did this.

[Cleita]

13. He rightfully criticized the nonsense that was

coming from the right and going mainstream. He wasn't polite about it, but neither are they. Of course, when it's our side that blusters we are turkeys. When it's their side, they are patriots.

[Urban Prairie]

16. The rightwing is really reaching with that accusation

Grayson never insinuated that he wanted any Rethugs to die, just the opposite, that essentially their idea of "universal" healthcare insurance coverage, was comparable to wishing/hoping for a quick death, after being diagnosed with or incurring serious or life-threatening illnesses/injuries.

[LuvNewcastle]

17. Grayson knows how to get under

their skin. His hero Huey Long was the same way; he never shrank from telling things as they were. Anthony Weiner is even better because not only does he have a great intellect, his is as sharp as a razor blade. We need more guys like Grayson and Weiner because the RWers are playing for keeps. Our guys don't need to threaten anybody, but they need to tell the truth and yell just as loud as they do. The Republican Party has almost ruined this country and it's time for Democrats to stand up and tell them to go to hell.

[4lbs]

18. Didn't Grayson run that TV commercial that called his political opponent a member of the Taliban?

It was dubbed the "Taliban Dan" ad.

I think that was about it.

[Hugabear]

24. He compared his opponent to the Taliban

And considering Dan Webster's track record, it was a valid comparison.

[yoyossarian]

19. The Right just LOVES making shit up.

Makes me SOOO mad... here's an excerpt from one of my other postings on the whole false equivalency nightmare:

Anthony Weiner, Alan Grayson and Dennis Kucinich are EXCELLENT examples. They NEVER use violent rhetoric, preferring always to think before they speak. They have all three at times shown themselves to be fiercely aggressive advocates for Democratic ideals, but in the best sense and meaning of such words. They are always controlled and careful and diplomatic in their public arguments and media appearances; they rarely say anything stupid, and never anything that could be construed as fomenting fear and anger amidst the general populace. They are aware that as our representatives they have a responsibility to speak in ways that quell riots rather than starting them.

The difference here is like night and day.

These, btw, are verifiable facts I'm speaking about here; we have video and audio evidence in abundance showing that this false equivalency is an absolutely insane denial of the actual problem.

[robcon]

20. I'm amazed that Grayson still gets support on DU.

He's an outrageous liar, as his campaign ad showed so clearly.

[BeFree]

21. ??????

That wasn't even funny. I know you had to be joking.

Maybe you are projecting? That's it isn't it? You are just projecting yourself up, out and away?

[Control-Z]

22. You probably should have used the

sarcasm thingy.

[Hugabear]

23. Please provide specific examples

Can you provide any specific examples, without referring to right-wing propaganda?

[jbnow]

28. I assume it was Grayson's ad that showed an out of context quote

from his opponent in an ad calling him something like "Taliban Dan"
he used a tape of a talk at church and edited it.
The opponent, Dan someone, was saying that when he was picking out a verse his wife didn't want him to use the one about wives should submit to their husband and then said something like since she didn't want the one where the bible says she should submit to me (drawing laughter as he was talking) instead he would talk about the one that said husbands should love their wife as Christ loved the church.
But Grayson campaigned clipped it so he was just saying "she should submit to me" and "Wives, submit to your husband"
That's the gist of it and it did happen.
When a big thing was made of it locally and the real quote shown compared to ad I assumed Grayson campaign would apologize but instead they sort of defended it by talking about an institute he was tied to back in 1990 that taught that.

I don't know if they apologized later. I didn't hear about it if so. I really liked Grayson and cringed at this, knowing it would cost him votes.
I know the other side does even worse and I assume Grayson could be right about the guy's religious views but it was a bad move.

[EFerrari]

25. Go check out this compilation Robert Greenwald put together

of Palin calling Obama a domestic terrorist over and over again during the campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5mdIPNB8t8

This is hate speech.

[upi402]

27. Dylan Ratigan just lost me

He needs to air examples of Graysons extreme rhetoric and then compare the myriad RW examples. Grayson did NOT "need to go". He was one of the very few foghting corporatism.

Seems like Steph Miller, Randi Rhodes, and now Dylan are going centrist.
Grayson, Feingold, next Kucinich - out.

Good luck America.

[B Calm]

30. Dylan Ratigan never has impressed me! Many times he comes across

as a con.

[annabanana]

29. Grayson NEVER threatened anyone, nor did he use the kind of

inflammatory rhetoric that has become SOP on the right. Using him as an "example" of the both sides do it canard, and getting away with it is just one more example of how on our own we really are.

[upi402]

31. canard, and getting away with it

even our own side uses it too

yeah, alone and getting distanced