*drags out the bullhorn and soapbox*

[kyburg]

*ahem*

VERO BEACH, Fla. - An anti-John Kerry (news - web sites) demonstrator was charged with felony aggravated assault with a gun for allegedly pointing a weapon at the head of a Kerry supporter.

OCTOBER 27--A Florida man has been charged with attempting to run over controversial Republican congresswoman Katherine Harris with his Cadillac. According to the below Sarasota Police Department report, Barry Seltzer, 46, told cops that he was simply exercising his "political expression" when he drove his car at Harris and several supporters, who were campaigning last night at a Sarasota intersection.

WEST PALM BEACH – An 18-year-old Marine recruit remained in jail on Wednesday, charged with threatening to stab his girlfriend over her choice for president, news partner NewsChannel 5 reported in its noon broadcast.

The enlistee, Steven Scott Soper, of Lake Worth, became enraged Tuesday night when his 18-year-old girlfriend said she was leaving him -- and voting for John Kerry for president.

Soper, who will enter the Marines as soon as he passes the GED test, solidly supports Bush. He allegedly told girlfriend Stacey Silheira, "You'll never live to see the election."

Folks.

Violence is the last resort of the incompetent.

Forget who is pointing the gun, the car or whatever the fuck ever it is at the moment (custard pies?) - if any of these acts had been completed or were successful in any way, someone would be dead...and dead is dead and dead is FOREVER.

And because the subjects are from differing points of view does not make it all even.

If two people die, two people are DEAD, and they are never coming back again.

Find another way, folks. And insist everyone else do the same. You want to stop the madness?

Stop your own. Set an example.

Find a way. Please.

Killing begets killing. Hatred does not stay with the hater. Anger leaks.

Look upon other people as divine creations just like yourself. Just as flawed.

And give 'em a break. Turn the other cheek and give them a chance.

Find a way.

*gets down*

That said - what a bunch of fucking IDIOTS. But I still won't advocate for killing any of them. Why? Because I won't stoop to their level. Idiots. Thieves. Selfish turdbuckets. Stupidheads.

*drop kicks bullhorn through the goalposts of life*

I really, really, really hate having to use that thing. I deeply resent it as well.

Comments

[djstatick.livejournal.com]

I agree. As much as I hate the current administration and the likes, that's beyond comprehension. This country has become so vitriolic and divided... it's quite sad. I miss Clinton... back when a blowjob was a national issue...

[miwasatoshi.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU.

I dislike both major-party candidates, but I wouldn't even jest at talking about violence in one direction or the other.

So many people think they can say anything they want, as long as they don't intend to act on it.

I just listed the assassinations and assassination attempts on American Presidents and Presidential Candidates on someone else's LJ.

Paranoia? Not with that long list of past events, and only in the last 150 years.

[rozard.livejournal.com]

As a Floridian, I'm embarassed at the behavior of these fucking morons.

[camwyn]

Lord. What the hell is the matter with my fellow Americans?

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

See, this is what I really hate... the fact that in the last 4 years things have gotten so very polarised that a lot of people see violence as an acceptable way to either convince someone of their point of view, or resort to insulting people or trying to do them harm because they don't agree.

I don't remember this sort of thing happening 4 years ago, or even 8 and 12 years ago.

And the problem with a lot of this is that I've heard GWB doing the whole "voting for Kerry is voting for the terrorists", which is basically politicing on fear, which isn't a good thing in my opinion.

C.

[solidkz.livejournal.com]

I just don't know why things have gotten this bad. I mean yeah, sometimes I want to slap people upside the head, but WTF? How did we as a nation divide so sharply?

I can't wait for this election to be over...

[pipu.livejournal.com]

And in my corner of the country:

"Local Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other for throwing the first punch in a fistfight Friday at the Ferry Street Bridge, where both groups were waving signs endorsing their candidate for president."

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*sighs*

Mike, when did committing violence become the preferred method of dealing with anything?

It ain't popular to be peaceful, in some circles. It gets your car keyed (raises hand), gets you labeled as a "dirty hippie commie" (raises hand again), targeted for raised fingers, raised voices, verbal abuse, I could go on - I've heard "pinko commie bitch" more in the last 30 days than in the last 30 years (and gee, I can remember pinko commies, just fine thanks - and no, the speaker had no clue what one really is) -

And I have to look for where the modeling is coming from. Don't kid yourself, it's coming from the highest levels in our culture.

I've advocated for turning the television and talk radio off. Just turn it off for 90 days and see what happens to how you view circumstances. Are you less angry? Less confrontational? Less jaded?

More hopeful?

I'm tired of having my emotions milked to sell soap. And being lied to - on survival level issues - by the people I pay taxes to.

Really - stop reaching for the head-slap reflex. You (and everyone else out there who wants this madness to stop) needs to question that impulse.

Find another way. One that doesn't provoke more anger or more violence. Some people just want a fight, and generally you can tell who they are - but a whole lot more people just want someone to give a fucking damn about them. Listen to them.

You don't have to agree.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Holy jumping jesus god.

I have nothing to add to what you've said, because you said it better than I could.

What scares the SHIT out of me, though, is that Psycho-Killer #3 is apparently still going to be in the armed forces, if he doesn't land in jail instead. If I were a Marine officer, I sure as hell wouldn't want that kind of loose cannon in MY unit!

[solidkz.livejournal.com]

Don't misunderstand, my slap-upside-the-head reflex is purely a slap-on-the-wrist reflex, not a beat them reflex and that feeling is really only reserved for people whose argument devolves into pure insults and name-calling.

I did what you suggested for a few weeks back around when school started, watching only Cspan for my news and I did feel less angry and jaded.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I'd also stick to the sources that have no vested interest in the outcomes - NPR, etc. Anyone who is selling tickets to this roadside circus, you can leave out.

I found my old broadcast ethics book from school the other day. I sat down and had a good cry.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I can't believe they'd take someone with a criminal record -