Incivility

How interesting.

I wonder...if a group of Tea Partiers vandalized a government building with swastikas or got into an argument with a counter-protester, a "small riot" ensued, the counter-protester had to be escorted away by police who "feared for his safety", and one of the people assaulting him was arrested...don't you think it would have been a national news story?

Isn't the clear lesson of these events that people who oppose Arizona's immigration law are dangerous, violent extremists? Can there be any doubt that their fanatical actions can be blamed on irresponsible voices in the media that foster ignorance and intolerance for others with differing perspectives? Before you answer, understand that disagreement will be interpreted as evidence of your own irrationality and, most likely, thinly-veiled racism.

Seriously, though. Does no one on the Left ever wonder why the rampant incivility and legitimately documented violence by people on their side is simply not reported? Or, at the very least, do they note that such behavior is not cited by the media as evidence of the Left's prominent role in the deterioration of public discourse?

Consider:
What is being portrayed as the "cause" of the unrest in Arizona? The strong Arizona immigration bill, of course.

But what was portrayed as the "cause" of the unrest surrounding the health-care debate? The massively unpopular health-care bill itself? No, no. The Tea Party, talk radio, etc.

Sigh...

Just to clarify, the offensive thing here is not the behavior of activists on the Left. That's fine, even if I wish it were a little less strident. The offensive thing is the inconsistent treatment of activists on different ends of the political spectrum by the national media. The bias is disgusting, and is slowly pushing the dinosaur media into total public irrelevance.

Can we please put an end to all this nonsense implying that an engaged and emotionally-charged public somehow threatens civil society?