Aaaaaand the GOP's going right back to stochastic terrorism already.

[backscatter712]

Now that the media's moved on passed the shooting of Gabby Giffords to the next shiny bauble, we see this.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/25/paul-broun-town-hall-who-is-going-to-shoot-obama_n_828047.html

Rep. Paul Broun Asked At Town Hall: 'Who Is Going To Shoot Obama?'

The Athens Banner-Herald in Georgia reports that a shocking question was asked at a town hall event held by Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) on Tuesday. According to the article, an audience member asked the congressman, "Who is going to shoot Obama?"

Blake Aued reports:

Broun's press secretary, Jessica Morris, confirmed that the question was indeed, who is going to shoot Obama? "Obviously, the question was inappropriate, so Congressman Broun moved on," she said.

However, rather than confronting the questioner or condemning the question, Broun instead acknowledged "frustration" with Obama, according to the Banner-Herald. The paper reports that Broun responded to the stunning inquiry as follows:

"The thing is, I know there's a lot of frustration with this president. We're going to have an election next year. Hopefully, we'll elect somebody that's going to be a conservative, limited-government president that will take a smaller, who will sign a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare."

[jody]

1. Do you know the definition of "stochastic"? If so please explain how it describes

"terrorism" in your OP context.

[backscatter712]

4. This article explains it.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/01/10/934890/-Stochastic-Terrorism:-Triggering-the-shooters

I do stand by the term stochastic (which is a fancy scientific term meaning "random".) I apologize for not explaining it.

In a nutshell, the game the GOP is playing is Russian Roulette, except they think it's more fun to point the gun at their political enemies.

Put one round in the revolver's cylinder, spin it, point the gun, pull the trigger. Eventually, the odds catch up with you and the gun fires.

Every time Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, or in this case, Paul Broun, use violent rhetoric, or let those around them get away with using it, they're stirring up the crazies, hoping the next Jared Loughner or Scott Roeder comes out of the woodwork. When Glenn Beck says "Shoot them in the head!" , imagine that trigger being pulled, and the hammer clicking. Is there a round in the chamber? Maybe...

And yes, this is terrorism, or the calculated use of violence for political purposes.

[jody]

9. Thanks. Article incorrectly uses the word so I don't blame those who believe what they read. nt

[backscatter712]

11. There is a random element involved.

Rather than direct violence (which would result in the Rethugs being caught in the act), they use this mass-media technique to stir up random acts of violence. I'll bet they have some actuary actually calculating the odds of a violent incident after a specific number of instances of violent rhetoric on the right-wing media wurlitzer. Crunch the numbers, and it doesn't become a matter of if, but when. They don't know when, they just know that if they pull the trigger enough times on the Glenn Beck Show or Rush Limbaugh Show, eventually the gun fires.

I find the Russian Roulette analogy to be fitting, no?

[JoePhilly]

5. "Stochastic Terrorism" is a phrase that has been used to ...

describe the use of repeated messages in the media to get crazy individuals to direct their anger in fairly specific and usually violent directions.

There are plenty of crazy people out there. And some of them are potentially violent already, they just haven't decided who to blame most for their anger.

So the right wing media gives them the targets. When they snap, they don't go to the McDonald's and shoot people at random, they attack an abortion clinic, the police, or a democratic town hall.

[unblock]

7. inciting long-odds violence against political opponents.

trying to push one "lone gunman" into doing their bidding.

[CommonSensePLZ]

2. They'll never stop pushing that "we're about smaller government" lie, will they? nt

[JoePhilly]

3. Political assassination by proxy.

Shake the crazy tree long enough, and not only will some nuts fall out, they'll show up at town halls.

In Tuscon, the one that showed up shot a democratic congresswoman and many others.

In Georgia, the nut who shows up doesn't shoot the congressman, but asks about who will shoot Obama. And the guy who asked the question isn't arrested or removed, he gets his "frustration" acknowledged, along with a reference to "Obamacare."

I hope the secret service pays the guy a little visit.

[rfranklin]

6. In essence this Congressman is quitely endorsing the idea by not condemning it...

Legitimizing the "frustration with the President."

[Tsiyu]

8. Tacit approval

And funny how he speaks of less intrusive government when a dude named Franklin, a GA Republican, is practically trying to outlaw menstruation...


Sickening on every level

[jpak]

10. These are the same republic assholes that want guns in churches

yup