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Town Hall 'Paranoia and Violence' a Liberal Fantasia

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 5, 2009 3:11 PM CDT
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(Newser) – To listen to the Obama camp and the liberal media, the anti-Obamacare protesters at last month’s town halls are a grave threat to our way of life, Mary Katharine Harn writes in the Weekly Standard. But “the climate of paranoia and violence that enveloped our political system this August was largely a creation” of the people who railed against it (think Olbermann and Matthews). In more than 400 meetings, “there were fewer than ten documented incidents that could be described as violent.”

What’s more, Harn writes, seven of those incidents “were perpetrated by Obama supporters and union members on Obama critics.” And that doesn’t even include the finger-biting incident. So when “the left's self-righteous leaders fire-and-brimstone the townspeople with tales of a country doomed by loud health policy protests,” Harn writes, “they sound as out-of-touch as Footloose's Reverend Shaw Moore inveighing against the great peril of dancing the watoosie.”

Somerville residents hold signs in support of Health Care reform as members of the LaRouche Political Action Committee sing with a sign depicting President Obama as Hitler.
Somerville residents hold signs in support of Health Care reform as members of the LaRouche Political Action Committee sing with a sign depicting President Obama as Hitler.   (AP Photo)
Protesters for and against President Barack Obama's health care reform proposals.
Protesters for and against President Barack Obama's health care reform proposals.   (AP Photo)
A man makes a comment at a senior center in Dartmouth, Mass., as US Rep. Barney Frank holds a town hall-style meeting on health care reform and financial issues.
A man makes a comment at a senior center in Dartmouth, Mass., as US Rep. Barney Frank holds a town hall-style meeting on health care reform and financial issues.   (AP Photo)
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Encouraging responsible civic behavior was not the mission of the hyperventilating liberals this August. Instead, they aimed to impose a social cost and scrutiny on conservatives who protest.
- Mary Katharine Ham

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 38 comments
NewserScooter
Sep 13, 2009 1:48 AM CDT
So what was behind all the anti-Bush protests, because he was white?
NewserScooter
Sep 13, 2009 1:44 AM CDT
Cornelison, first of all its Dr. not Ms., Second I like Maddow's presentation, and have no trouble following her. She just has a very strong presumptive bias, as does Beck. From a journalist perspective one cannot argue esp. after this week that Beck is having an effect. And he is just beginning. If he were liberal, we would planning on his Pulitzer, but we know TV cannot win unless its first published in a newspaper in the US. Lets see him win an investigative award fromt he emmys.
DontLikeYou___
Sep 12, 2009 7:45 AM CDT
"We the people" are not liberals. I'm just saying. You're either with the people, or you are against the people.

 
violence • Kevin Bacon • health care reform • town hall meeting • protesters • conservatives • Obama administration • President Obama • Footloose • progressives

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