Steamd

Because of some comments on a recent post I did about Hummers, there are a few things that I think bear repeating, a few things I want to clear up in regards to what my blog is about and what it’s not about.

In another recent post, I talked a bit about the Rage on the Radio (iTunes) story I watched on Bill Moyers Journal. The story includes a report about a man by name of Jim David Adkisson who shot and killed two adults and wounded seven others at a church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The reason? According to reports on both MSNBC and CNN, Adkisson did it because he was frustrated with not being able to find a job, was on the verge of losing his food stamps, and blamed Liberals for it. Since he couldn’t attack any known Liberal political figures, he attacked a church with known Liberal teachings instead. According to his affidavit, Adkisson felt that the Democrats had tied his country’s hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of major media outlets. The question is though: Where did he learn this?

… police found in Adkisson’s apartment, books by popular right-wing talk-radio personalities who berate and denigrate liberals. One of the books police found in Adkisson’s apartment was Michael Savage’s “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder”. In it, Savage calls liberals “the enemy within our country;” “an enemy more dangerous than Hitler”; “traitors” who are “dangerous to your survival” and who “should be placed in a straightjacket”. Like Adkisson, Savage accuses liberals of “[tying] the hands of our military”.

Words hurt. People can get hurt by the things that others say in the media. That includes what bloggers say too. 

For instance, take Michael Savage who wished AIDS on a caller, who hates Muslims, and talks nonsense about gay marriage. Check out the video where he goes completely postal on Liberals.

Then there’s Rush Limbaugh and his description of Operation Chaos, especially the part where he condones the act of violent riots with burning cars and the whole bit.

And, finally, there’s Ann Coulter. Regardless of whether you support Obama or not, when someone insinuates that Obama worships Lucifer and compares his book to Mein Kampf, that’s really stretching it thin. But it doesn’t stop there. She goes on and on in many blog posts and TV appearances spreading hatred for Liberals, about how Liberals are godless and that they are all liars. Hell, she even wrote a book called “Godless”. I’m not even a Liberal and even I find all this offensive.

What these people say can have a dramatic impact on people. Their words have influence and can hurt people. But while I don’t condone this sort of talk, I don’t condone outright banning these people from doing what they do. Our First Amendment rights give us the freedom to say what we want and express ourselves. I would never in a million years ask anyone to forfeit that right. While I don’t agree or condone this sort of talk, I do hope that these people understand that they must be responsible and held accountable for what they say. Words do hurt, people.

Which brings me to the point of my blog. Most readers don’t know me. Most people don’t know what I’m really like. Yeah, you can get an idea based on what I write about on this blog, but even then you’re only getting a very minute chunk of what I’m all about. Chances are that if you met me you might even enjoy a conversation with me. As such, I would ask that anyone reading my blog to not pass any judgement or stereotype on me based on anything I write. I’m far from being the sort of hate monger who writes things that actually motivate people to do bad things.

I tend to rant here and there and try at best to offer something constructive as much as possible. But my rants don’t hurt anybody. I don’t resort to calling people names and using stereotypes and labels. All I’m doing here is voicing my opinion. My blog is after all called Steamd for a reason. Occasionally I will write about things that piss me off. If you don’t like what I write then simply don’t read it. It’s that simple.

In the case of the Hummer post, I formed a broad generalization about Hummer drivers. Yes it’s generalized but in no way, shape, fashion, or form does it motivate anyone from committing an act of vandalism. I made it very clear at the very beginning of this post that I do not condone the act of vandalism on anyone’s vehicle. That includes what the old man did. All I said was that while I do not agree with the act of vandalism, I understand the motivation of what would cause someone to do it. Like I said, I may be generalizing a bit about Hummer drivers.

Just to be clear, here’s the main points I was trying to make in the Hummer post: Being that the average Hummer only gets 10/15 MPG, what part of that generalization isn’t true? How many Hummer owners do you know that actually care about environmental issues and energy conservation? Although it’s a broad generalization, how much of that isn’t true? Do any of them care at all about the environment? Does smog levels bother them? What about alternative fuels? Would Hummer owners like to see a Hummer that gets better gas mileage? Those are the questions I’ve been asking. My opinion is that most don’t care. But that’s just my opinion. It’s not stereotyping. It’s deductive reasoning.

My opinions and what I do on my blog isn’t even remotely close to the kind of media that other bloggers and media personalities are spewing out every day. I don’t spread severe anger and hate. I’m far more constructive and rational in my thoughts. I may get fired up here and there but that’s not hurting anyone. I’d much rather get fired up and express myself rather than let real hate mongers have their way. But that’s just me.