I'll let others delve into all the sordid facts. What I want are some apologies from all the left-wing blog ghouls who danced on Bill Sparkman's grave hoping to score points by blaming conservatives for the death, as detailed in my post Ghouls Preparing To Dance on Sparkman's Grave.
The theory went that right-wing concerns over government power incited anti-government violence. Here are the bloggers specifically quoted in my prior post pushing this agenda:
- Think Progress,
- Steve Benen,
- Andrew Sullivan,
- MyDD,
- Crooks and Liars,
- Richard Benjamin,
- Mark Kleiman and
- No More Mister Nice Blog, among many.
UPDATE: What others are saying:
- Michelle Malkin: When will the Left retract the Kentucky census worker case smear?
- Sister Toldjah: Breaking: KY investigators say Census worker likely killed himself
- JammieWearingFool: Census Worker Killed Himself and the Credibility of Leftwing Bloggers
- DaTechGuy: Bill Sparkman, Haditha and Duke all over again
- American Power: Bill Sparkman's Death Ruled Suicide: Meanwhile, Deafening Silence on the Radical Left?
- Jack Blood: Take it back Rachel Madcow! – Kentucky Census Worker Killed Himself
- Allahpundit: Census worker murdered by conservatives not actually murdered by conservatives
- Matthew Moynihan: Send the Body To Glenn Beck!
- Matt Welch: Remember That Census-Worker Murder, the One Michele Bachmann Was Supposed to Apologize For?
- McCain follow up: "Where do to the people of Clay County go to get their reputation back?"
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Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh (with a little help from Sarah Palin, now that she's received her windfall) paid off law enforcement officials so they wouldn't be implicated. It's just so obvious only right wing wackos like you and McCain refuse to believe it.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I expect all but Sully to totally ignore this one. He loves the attention from the other bloggers too much. And he'll answer with a mealy-mouthed post questioning the official findings (with a "stay tuned" closer) underneath a picture of either Beck, Limbaugh or Palin. Or maybe Michelle Bachman.
RWG (just watch)
Here's how I see the Left spinning it:
ReplyDeleteHad it not been for the "anti-government hate" speech coming from Rush and Beck, Sparkman would never have tried to falsely implicate the far right. Ergo, Beck and Rush are responsible.
And if that doesn't fly, use pretzel logic to blame Sparkman's suicide on Bush.
Jacobson - Basically you have listed here the most virulent of a very virulent bunch - the far left blogosphere. That these dopes were at the forefront of the 'Sparkman's death = vast right wing conspiracy' is of no surprise.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there was LGF post Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 9:45:58 pm PDT - "But the description of the circumstances and the timing (around the time of the Washington DC tea party) raises a strong suspicion that anti-government sentiment may have been the motivation."
ReplyDeleteButtressed #28, "There has been a LOT of incitement against the census lately. That doesn't prove anything. But it looks damned suspicious."
The "incitement" referred to would be the comments of Michelle Bachmann (not so much Glenn Beck).
LGF tried hard not to appear to be picking a side, and did some good work in #74 ruling out drug criminals. but in #18 he proves himself more interested in attacking people who defend the Tea Parties against his insinuations ("someone like you") than in keeping that neutral ground.
It's a same that some blogger maybe with reporting experience didn't go there in person and investigate then those fellows might have avoided embarrassment...
ReplyDelete...oh wait.
Great post! Keep them honest!!
ReplyDeleteCommon Cents
Here's what's going to happen:
ReplyDeleteRight Wingers and Talk radio killed a census worker!
Huh?
The census worker killed himself?
Oh.
I hate Palin!
Hey, I'm from the Left and feel I owe you an apology for your self-victimization of this. It is sad that so many right-wing blogs and commentators would jump up and whine about needing and apology. Whoa is me! Whoa is me! I'm a victim! I'm a victim! Call me a WAAAAHHHHHH-bulance!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI never believed any of the mouth-pieces on the Right were responsible for this. My opinion was more along the lines of a "Deliverance" situation as in somebody wondered into a bad situation. I was wrong too. If you feel the need to whine, snivel and throw a tantrum, at least have the maturity of specifically targeting those who blamed you for this and not claiming the "Left" as a whole as you whine about how the big bad Left beats you up because your pink panties are in a bunch.
Don't forget to add Rachel Maddow to your list..
ReplyDeletehttp://wherearemykeys.typepad.com/where_are_my_keys/2009/11/well-this-will-make-rachel-maddow-upset.html
It will all be Bushs' fault somehow. If he hadn't of screwed things up so bad, the dude never would have had to hang himself to provide for his family.
It's always a Republican's fault somehow.
www,WhereAreMyKeys.TypePad.com
You identify 8 specific left leaning bloggers who wrongly claimed the rhetoric from commentators on the right was so powerful that their words incited an unhinged nutjob to murder Sparkman, but Syntax_Game is angry that your specific list of 8 bloggers isn't specific enough?
ReplyDeleteLinked to at:
ReplyDeleteTHE DEATH OF BILL SPARKMAN: CODA
I have nothing to apologize for, because I didn't express a conclusion as to what actually happened -- which you'd know if you had the basic reading-comprehension skills of a fifth grader.
ReplyDeleteSyntax_Game, its "woe", not "whoa". I'd mock your lame attempt at mockery, but its kinda self-mocking. So thanks for saving me the trouble.
ReplyDelete