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October 16, 2007

Where is America's Heart?

Right-wingers scoffed at left-wingers' assertions this morning that the assumed brutal attack this weekend on Air America radio talk show host Randi Rhodes was likely politically motivated. But until Randi disputed her Air America colleague's report of an attack this morning, claiming instead that she fell while walking her dog, it seemed the only realistic explanation. As baroosk wrote on Talking Radio, it isn't unprecedented to see violent attacks on left-wing radio hosts. Joe Gendelman at The Moderate Voice offered more on the history of attacks on radio talk show hosts. But that aside, what really has concerned me most about the incident has been the nonchalant reaction of America to what was thought to be a brutal attack on a woman.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned (though I happen to think that some of our old-fashioned values are pretty good), but the idea of a man or men doing something like this to a woman is deeply offensive. The symbolic nature of femininity is that of nurturing. I believe our culture has lost something valuable in its rejection of respect for that "feminine" quality, as expressed through gallantry (though gallantry was often perverted by chauvinists into domination of "the weaker sex"). But if you read through the many comments by the public posted all over the Web today, such as here, the feminine is no longer valued – in fact, it is no longer apparently even discerned. Instead, we find a vulgar display of the opposite of nurturing – that being pure hate, and the source of that hate is undeniably political. For instance:

- Why doesn't anyone kick the S**t out of Ann Coulter?

- Ann Coulter would kick your whining, sniveling liberal *ss.

- couldnt happen to a nicer commie

- Her 12 listeners will miss her.

- This picture must have been taken after the attack

And then there is this post, entitled "I Support Randi Rhodes Muggers."

Let us not judge the Randi Robbers too harshly. Sure she's missing a few bucks, and a few buck teeth, but that's not the real tragedy. The real tragedy is the fact that so many robbers are out there, waiting to pounce on liberal gas bags, and nothing is being done to reach out to them.

Only when we reach out, can we truly call ourselves a just society. Let's not punish these criminals, they've been punished enough. Let's look at ways of addressing the root causes of Libtard muggings and ensure that all are treated equally (cue All American Background music) so that a city for the people, by the people and of the people, can one day shine for everyone, regardless of race, religion, height, sexual orientation, political party, or right handed or left handedness. Then we will truly be free.

Upon learning that Randi's injuries were the result of an accident, he updated his post thus:

UPDATE: It turns out that Randi was not attacked by a conservative mugger. It makes sense, you bunch of chickenhawks. New reports show that Randi Rhodes "fell" when her dog pulled her off balance. The dog is being investigated, will be checked for rabies, but not for any other "papers."

I have my doubts about the veracity of Randi's claim that she fell (does one lose two teeth from falling down while walking a little dog?), but that doesn't change my concern about the apparent heartlessness, lack of esteem for nurturing, and inability to empathize that are displayed by so many in America these days.

Posted by Becky at October 16, 2007 12:00 PM