Thought For The Day

Why is it that people who continually spew forth hate-filled rhetoric are suddenly surprised when other people become angry and commit violent acts against those to whom their hate-filled rhetoric was directed?

The speakers then back away and say, "Oh, I didn't mean that!"

My thought for the day was inspired by this article in the Huffington Post by Frank Shaeffer, who was, in his own words, "both a leader of the so-called pro-life movement and a part of a Republican Party hate machine masquerading as the moral conscience of America."

Schaeffer says:

Like many writers of moral/political/religious theories my father and I would have been shocked that someone took us at our word, walked into a Lutheran Church and pulled the trigger on an abortionist. But even if the murderer never read Dad's or my words we helped create the climate that made this murder likely to happen.

Schaeffer appeared on Rachel Maddow's show last night. Here's the link to the video.

Thanks to John for sending me the link to the HP article.