Posted on 04/18/2014 10:53:31 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
On Wednesday nights broadcast of The Rachel Maddow Show, host Rachel Maddow discussed the recent events surrounding Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy in detail. Not only did she address the standoff between Bundys supporters and federal agents, she placed this incident in the context of recent history. On top of that, she reviewed all of the coverage Bundy has received from the conservative media and contended that these journalists are playing with fire.
Below is video from the show:
(VIDEO-AT-LINK)
Maddow began her show by contrasting the recent events surrounding Bundy and his supporters, who state that they do not recognize the federal government, with separatist movements in the mid-90s. She highlighted a Nevada County Commissioner who bulldozed over federal land to create a road in 1994. That commissioner said that he considered Nye County, Nevada to be independent from the United States and therefore he had authority to reclaim federal land.
After showing clips of the commissioner in his bulldozer, Maddow then pointed out how he was just one of many anti-government zealots in the West at that time, and how it all came to a head with the Oklahoma City bombing the following year. However, roughly twenty years ago, these militias and anti-government groups were seen as being extreme and on the far-right fringe. Very few politicians or media personalities supported their cause or advocated for them.
This led to Maddow showing how today these same types of separatist groups and militias have now found champions for their cause in conservative media. On the show, news clips were played of the actual standoff between armed supporters of Bundy and agents from the Bureau of Land Management. The local news highlighted at the time the fact that private citizens were somehow able to get away with pointing sniper rifles and automatic weapons at law enforcement officers. One news reporter stated how strange it was that the Bundy supporters had achieved a victory for their political cause not by voting, but by aiming guns at police officers.
Maddow then wrapped up the segment by highlighting all of the reports from conservative media groups and how theyve tried to instigate the situation further. As Maddow helpfully indicated, for the most part, this story is over. It appears that the BLM will deal with Bundy more through judicial and administrative channels. Overall, the main drama is over. While the BLM will still try to collect the fees and fines due from Bundy, and advise to him that he is breaking the law by having his cattle graze on federal land for free, another armed standoff does not appear to be on the horizon.
However, right-wing media outlets do not want to hear that. They see an ongoing story here that they can get behind and also appeals to the extreme element of their audience. While it was obvious that places like The Blaze, Alex Jones and World Net Daily would be all over this saga, it was somewhat surprising that Fox News would go full bore with this. Maddow even emphasized how Sean Hannity took a report from WND and used it in an interview with Bundy, telling Bundy that feds might conduct a midnight raid of his ranch and possibly even kill him.
This is where Maddow stated that right-wing media, and Fox News in particular, are playing with fire regarding this story. It isnt so much that they are trying to gin up the story, which is now essentially dead, in order to drive ratings. The worst part is that there is a recent violent history of radical separatist groups and militias getting into violent conflicts with the government, leading to deaths. Fox News has even referred back to these violent events, like Waco and Ruby Ridge, many times while discussing this story.
However, it doesnt stop them from banging this drum loudly and often. By doing this, they are only enraging and encouraging people who are already extremely resentful of the federal government. They are motivating these people to act out against the United States. If we see violence occur from an anti-government group in the near future, or Bundys supporters take things even further, will Fox News take responsibility for the role they played? I think we all know the answer.
MadCow speaking for the Obama Admin ?
The liberal / conservative divide is widening and the left is just now starting to realize it. As it challenges their incorrectly held assumption that “everyone else” holds the same opinions that they espouse, their reaction is fear and panic.
Well a good start would be getting her some intelligence to strap on...
...but that seems a pretty rare commodity on the left to be giving away.
Does this moron think the BLM would be doing so had they NOT been faced with [heavily] armed resistance following their initial decision to use the imminent threat of violence in their dealings with Mr. Bundy?
1. “Don’t go there”
2. “You’re playing with fire”
3. “We put the facility on lock down”
Ever notice just HOW MUCH you hear this, lately?
But here is something you do NOT hear:
“Hey, it’s a FREE COUNTRY..!”
I see what you did there...
She castigates conservative news for covering “right wing” issues, but when left-wing issues come up, they’re response? They ignore them.
If the Rino wimpy Fox News is playing with fire then Thomas Paine back in his day must have been carpet bombing with Napalm.
Using the above photos extrapolate the trend and comment.
I have no idea what you mean. None. Shirley I do not. There can be no artificial substitute for intelligence. Which of course was my only consideration here. Shirley.
The author of this tripe is managing editor of this boolshite:
“PoliticusUSA was founded in February of 2008 by Jason Easley. Jason had a vision of a liberal and independent news site which would offer a mix politics and opinion in an unfiltered environment, not beholden to any specific political or media agenda. PoliticusUSA is by design accessible to all levels of readers. Whether you are a casual follower of current events or a policy wonk, there is something here at PoliticusUSA for you.
If by a Liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a Liberal, then Im proud to say Im a Liberal.~J.F.K. In other words, if you are to the left of Ayn Rand Tea Party Social Darwinism, if you think we have some responsibility for the poor, the elderly, the veterans, the disabled, and the vulnerable in society, welcome to PoliticusUSA.”
Liberal AND independent. No. not independent Just another lefty `intellectual’ news organ and arm of the Democratic party we can discount, like Mad Cow. (minitru)
So, we’re just reacting to the outrages of Justin’s and Mad Cow’s administration—the `Establishment’—because we’re `reactionaries’, right? That’s what they call us.
They send paid mercenaries and Thought Police in full queer-gear and with guns to kill us, and we send Americans with guns to protect them ... sort of like Concord and Lexington.
Justin and MadCow are on the wrong side of history.
Time will tell.
Funny how these things happen right at the peak of an administration trying to take away our freedoms.
Ruby Ridge and Waco? Democrat president. Coincidence? I think not.
So reporting what happened, virtually alone among media outlets in doing so, is now called “hyping” a story.
well... does this work both ways Rachel Madcow? are YOU going to take responsibility the next time some idiot throws paint on someone wearing fur? destroys a parked SUV? rams their boat into a whaling ship? chains themselves to a tree? attacks innocent white people while screaming “Remember Trayvon!”
?????
didn't think so!
Left wing hypocrites!
It's just time moving on. Government is ALWAYS a generational thing. The people presently in power are the '60s and '70s "counterculture" types who still harbor their completely unrealistic "utopian" dreams. But they're retiring now, and the more pragmatic and realistic '80s generation is beginning to take over.
If there's one thing the Left fears more than anything else, it's reality!
I will start with Hairy Reid. He is the one who has thrown gas on a fire.
Madcow is an idiot who wants to sweep this under a rug.
I keep forgetting... is this mouthpiece for NBC (by default a mouthpiece for the democrat party)... is this womanmanthing an angry bulldyke mangirl or is it a really really fagotty girlman?
I can’t tell the difference anymore. Even with “men” and “women” in public, it seems the lines between masculine and feminine get crossed.
I had the unfortunate luck of switching the TV channel to BravO once... good Lord... the switch from man to woman and woman to man is complete with these people.
I don't have to say it...
I’m thinking that this is more than a generational transition.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.