"Thank God in Heaven for Rush and Rupert" is how an email to me started out. The listener who sent the email - Harry (no need to give last name) - was thanking God for Rush Limbaugh and Rupert Murdoch. Rupert Murdoch, a billionaire media magnate, recently retired at the head of The Fox News Channel and is known for his ownership of powerful right-wing media entities.
Harry claimed that "Republicans were suffering the same plight as Black Americans for 50 years until they [Rush & Rupert] came along." Harry accused me and my sidekick [Ian] of lying by "omitting all the bad news on Democrats as these networks do and hammering only Republicans." He went on to complain about the "constant lies of MSNBC lunatic liars and CNN just as bad."
Like extreme Republicans will often do, Harry made the observation that "96% of all violent crimes are committed by Democrats in Democrat controlled cities with liberal policies." I'm not sure the 96% is an accurate number, but I have consistently talked on the air about how crime in New Orleans and other cities is the result of liberal policies from liberal Democrats that empathize more with the suspects than the victims.
America is so divided and frustrated today because people only hear what they want to hear and only believe what they want to believe. This listener who sent the email is obviously a frustrated right-wing radical who seeks confirmation bias over the truth. It is easier to put everyone in one category or another rather than take the time to actually listen to what is being said. The frustration felt by many conservative Republicans has reached an explosive milestone which reflects an inability to fairly judge political discourse in America. If just one thing is said that makes it easy to label me - or anyone - the enemy - then a deaf ear is turned to everything else being said.
The growing frustration by right-wing radicals (and I'm NOT speaking about ALL Republicans or ALL conservatives) is the result of the reality that their numbers are not significant enough to manifest change through the peaceful process of voting. Frustration is expressed through hate and anger and ex-President Donald Trump is leading the conversation about violence if things do not result in the desired way.
But it is the beginning of the email that is particularly disturbing when the plight of Republicans is compared to the plight of Black Americans over the past 50 years. How absurd and insulting. I don't remember the time when fire hoses were turned on Republicans during a peaceful demonstration; I don't recall the time when Republicans were the victims of violence just for being Republicans. Was there a time when Republicans were forced to use separate water fountains and restrooms? I must have missed the time Republicans were refused the right to vote even though there was a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing Republicans the right to vote.
The tragic part of the email is that this man really believes that as a Republican he has been victimized. It is uncharacteristic of Republicans, who historically blamed Black Americans and anyone else for claiming to be victims to be openly playing the "victim card."
And consider the irony that the group that invented the term "snowflake" to describe those who are easily offended by opposing opinions - have become "snowflakes" themselves.
