[newarts]

At last night's GOP debate Gov Perry was asked if he felt any guilt about the 234 executions he has approved as Governor. Before the question was completed the audience broke into wild applause in apparent approval, if not delight, at the thought of executions.

Here's a link to the video at The Guardian's web site: Video: Rick Perry's execution record greeted by wild applause from Republicans - Telegraph

You Tube

You Tube

I am shocked and dismayed at the implications of the response. A lust for having and using ultimate power is the most reasonable interpretation I can put to it.

I have tried hard to understand what truly motivates the right wing in the USA. I've never even considered the frightening possibility of a deep seated desire to punish others - worse, perhaps it goes beyond punishment to desire for God-like authority and to demonstrate that authority for fun.

I am frightened by it.

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Last edited by newarts; 09-08-2011 at 10:17 AM.

[Nesster]

I actually watched that when it was on MSNBC, it was probably the loudest response during the whole time I watched.

The other thing that mystifies me - how the pundits reacted afterwards to the whole thing... I thought Bachman was good, for example, not crazy seeming at all, and actually coherent in her points and attacks. If the storyline for the night were different, the pundits would have talked about her good showing... but as the pre-set storyline was the Clash between Perry and Whatshiname from Mass, so the Bachman story was: she's now sunk into the second tier.

[Wheatfield]

It's been pretty obvious to those of us living beyond your borders that the American right has a fondness for killing people. That they are now turning their eye for targets inwards rather than outwards is not surprising.

[GeneV]

It always amazes me that the far right has no use for the courts, and its wildly erroneous juries who award money to old women who are scalded by hot coffee, but they have no problem with the courts when the decision sends someone to die.

[Jasvox]

I actually watched that when it was on MSNBC, it was probably the loudest response during the whole time I watched.

The other thing that mystifies me - how the pundits reacted afterwards to the whole thing... I thought Bachman was good, for example, not crazy seeming at all, and actually coherent in her points and attacks. If the storyline for the night were different, the pundits would have talked about her good showing... but as the pre-set storyline was the Clash between Perry and Whatshiname from Mass, so the Bachman story was: she's now sunk into the second tier.

The real story should have been that she actually DID seem coherent and not crazy, but since she has already shown those tendencies, she should be rightfully in second tier, or less. A Freak-show shouldn't be given a serious spotlight.

Maybe they have dialed in the correct dosage.

Jason

[Jeff_H]

I have tried hard to understand what truly motivates the right wing in the USA.

I am frightened by it.

What motivates the right wing as you call it is the same thing that motivates the left wing; the desire to have control other people and make them behave in a certain fashion. And I'm not frightened by those who seek such control over others, I'm horrified by it and the tragedy has resulted in over the ages.

The whole left/right BS is just that, BS.

[shooz]

I said that a while back and got ignored.
I hope you do better.
We are not competing sports teams.

[Jeff_H]

I said that a while back and got ignored.
I hope you do better.
We are not competing sports teams.

You were ignored most likely because people don't like having their world views challenged or changed. They're completely happy and comfortable with the view that 'the left/right' are the enemy, and because they are 'the enemy' it's perfectly acceptable to impose rule ____ on them. They can't see that their side does the exact same thing to the other that they accuse the other of doing to them because they're too entrenched in the us/them argument. Sad, really, and makes the argument that no one ought to have such a mechanism to declare authority over the other all that much more logical.

[Nesster]

For those cheering the death penalty numbers, perhaps it is a moral thing. Something that reassures us that there is some order, some consequence that's big enough, something that psychologically makes us feel safer. It really doesn't have much to do with statistics of whether or not the death penalty is an effective deterrent, or whether saving even one innocent is worth not killing the other 99, or whether there is any racial or other bias in its application, or whether or not it is a Christian thing to do, or any such argument. Anti death penalty opinion tends to be - in the popular imagination - to be culturally linked with the liberal elites... thus the rah rah is for our team vs. them. This has immediate and quantifiable ego syntonic effect, just as those vehemently opposed will nod and maybe cheer for someone making a forthright anti death penalty statement.

[Wheatfield]

For the right, it doesn't matter. All that matters is the desired result. Lives lost are less than an inconvenience, they are just another column on the balance sheet.
We killed over 100,000 Iraqis to get 1 bad guy.
Do you really think killing 99 innocents to make sure we kill the one who is guilty matters a whit to these people? All that matters to them is making sure they are part of the group doing the killing.

[newarts]

Jeff_h said "...They can't see that their side does the exact same thing to the other that they accuse the other of doing to them because they're too entrenched in the us/them argument. ..."

Jeff, are you really equating expressing joy at 234 executions with singing "We Shall Overcome"?

Nesster said "...Anti death penalty opinion tends to be - in the popular imagination - to be culturally linked with the liberal elites... thus the rah rah is for our team vs. them..."

Nevertheless, I am appalled at any group's delighting the thought of many executions. It strongly implies their ultimate delight is possessing life and death control over others.

It is quite different from cheering tax cuts.

I am not particularly opposed to executions but find it hard to understand finding joy in them.

[Colorado CJ]

Says the abortionists, killing for convenience

[boriscleto]

Oh My God, Rick Perry Is Going to Be Our Next President - Second Installment - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 09/08/11 - Video Clip | Comedy Central

The biggest applause line of the night was the mere mention that Rick Perry had executed 234 people. Holy ****balls!

And by the way, some of them may be innocent, but look at this crowd.



They're not yahoos. This is not your torch-and-pitchfork angry villager. These are people with firm opinions on which is the best brand of riding mower. The audience at this debate were the people that give out raisins on Halloween. They own The Blind Side on DVD. And yet, and yet, and yet... (lowers voice menacingly) they thirst for blood.

[shooz]

They obviously find it entertaining.

[boriscleto]

Mentioning executions to Republicans is like saying 'Pot' to the audience of the Daily Show

Rick Perry Presents - The Colbert Report - 2011-08-09 - Video Clip | Comedy Central