March 10, 2012

"Who's going to save you when you get attacked?"

Here's what today's rally at the Wisconsin Capitol was like for me:



If you don't know the "last time" that's referred to at 1:08, it's when I was attacked on August 12, 2011.

Note that I am taunted for not having a husband at my side, and how, later, Meade is mocked for failing to save me from the earlier attack. That's some weird sexism. I appear alone in a crowd and people I don't know address me by name, ask repeatedly "Where's Laurence?" and add "Who's going to save you when you get attacked?" Yes, they are smiling and the vocal intonations are sassy. Well, the video is there for your assessment. Please discuss.

Bonus giant papier maché Scott Walker at the end.

ADDED: At 0:33, the woman says: "Your new husband — it's so sad." I think she means to rub it in that I am alone. I get the sense that these people are trying to make me and then Meade and me angry, which isn't going to happen. I really mostly just couldn't understand why they were so dumb. They seem to feel empowered by their numbers and my aloneness, but they can see I'm filming, and they're only interested in harassing me because I've put things on the internet in the past. Are they so into the moment that they don't have a clue that I'm going to put up this blog post?

110 comments:

Unknown said...

Zero decency.

purplepenquin said...

That is rude and creepy behavior for sure.

Makes me wish I had seen ya'll in the crowd (and yeah, I was looking!) 'cause then not all your interactions with others at the rally would've been negative.

James said...

Wish I was there but I went to a HS basketball state playoff game instead.

Synova said...

I couldn't do it. Not ever. I can't even watch the video.

Wince said...

I Hate You

You were just a waste of sperm
They way you look
Makes my stomach turn
The way you think
Is no way at all

God you really think you've got balls

I hate you
Ain't it true
I hate you
And everything you do

You walk around like a fucking dick
And everytime you're near
You know I get real sick

You're so stupid
There's nothing in your head
God how I wish that you were dead

I hate you
Ain't it true
I hate you
And everything you do

Petunia said...

I don't want to watch the video either.

They're just idiots, Ann. I'm glad you and Meade are able to cope with them in a dignified, rational manner. How's your blood pressure? :)

Peano said...
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Hagar said...

Well, for these people, you are a traitor to your class.

Writ Small said...

Your calm engagement in the face of that unseemly taunting is to your great credit.

Thomas said...

After the contraception kerfuffle drove Althouse to the left, the left drives Althouse to the right.

Methadras said...

This is what leftards do. When are you going to learn Ann and Meade that they aren't your friends. That they would relish your demise if given the opportunity to do it themselves. Ann, you live in a city that harbors 10's of thousands of these degenerates and you walk among them while they circle you like the sassy piranha's that they are. What's it like to be stalked that way? They know you, but you don't know them and the way you swing the camera around gives the impression that you are circling around looking for the long knives to come out at any moment.

It isn't weird sexism they throw out at you and meade, it's the type of thinking that infests these filthy leftists with their putrid and poisonous ideology, "who's going to protect you althouse?" "Hey Laurence, why aren't you protecting your wife?"

You let that little smug jumping monkey bitch and that pasty-faced bookend wearing that slayer beanie beside him turn your little outing into a 'loe key' creepfest and all you could muster was, "I have people threatening me on camera." As if presented to law enforcement they would do anything about. It's an entire city of these degenerates.

m stone said...

Never, never talk about the issues. Always deflect and make it personal. Add sarcasm to the mix.

There is your Wisconsin liberal strategy.

wyo sis said...

Mob behavior. None of those people would have behaved that way if they were one-on-one. At least I hope not. It's disgusting as mob behavior. One-on-one it would be terrifying, and actionable. Maybe actionable as mob behavior?

You handled it exactly right. I loved the way you introduced Meade.

Automatic_Wing said...

This is what douchebaggery looks like.

The Crack Emcee said...

Ahh, geez, they are threatening you - they're mocking you and your claim you were "attacked" before. I told you I didn't see it either, so I can see why they would do so You're making mountains out of molehills..

There's also no "sexism" there either. When are you going to let that one go?

Jesus, Ann, get a grip. I don't like libs but it's like you're now going around and making shit up to start trouble. What if Meade HAD gotten angry and something started and he got hurt? It would've been your fault - which is the problem for guys being chivalrous for a woman pushing an agenda.

If those crowds scare you, don't go, but don't make shit up - especially as you're filming - that's just stupid.

Women can be a real pain sometimes,...

1775OGG said...

Yep, WI's new concealed and carry law would be an appropriate tool to consider using when you're around those blithering idiots protesting at the Capitol.

Of course, an aletrnative would be to realize they won't attack you unless they outnumber you, and Meade, by am obscene factor; in which case the only personal weapon that would suffice would be a M2 or maybe a BAR!

The Crack Emcee said...

My previous post should've read "they AREN'T threatening you,..."

rhhardin said...

Progressive motto:

Roast upon a red hot shovel the duck of doubt.

(Lautreamont)

Anonymous said...
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traditionalguy said...

There seems to be a gang mentality gene within the Madison Mobs.

They felt empowered to say anything including veiled threats they will come for you, and you cannot stop them! Who you gonna call? Mob-Busters?

Mr. Meade is generally unphased by confrontation, but the Ann Althouse we know is not a confrontation loving person.

So take it easy, and don't let the bastards get you down.

Chip Ahoy said...

Yes, I can see how inquiring about your protection can in no way be perceived as a threat.

Chip Ahoy said...

It's not veiled, and it's not clever, it's made to a woman walking alone.

Writ Small said...

My previous post should've read "they AREN'T threatening you,..."

Where in Ann's post did she say they were?

R_Shackleford said...

The apropriate response in light of Wisconsin's new CCW laws wqould be something like:

Q:"Whos gonna save you when you get attacked?"

A:"Smith and Wesson!"

Ann, you should be CCWing and also have a can of pepper spray on you at all times.

Dave C said...

The dude with the Skullet (balding guy with super mullet) at the :33 second mark..

I'm pretty sure I've seen him before in another one of your Walker protest videos..

Petunia said...

One of the speakers estimated the crowd at 62,000. Must have been one of those people who said there were 1,000,000 signatures. Their math skills are on par with their critical thinking skills and their knowledge of history.

Watching NCAA basketball. How sad is it that announcers have to remind people to remove their caps for the national anthem? The singer is doing a nice job.

Don't forget to spring forward, everyone!

Dave C said...
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Anonymous said...
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Peano said...
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Writ Small said...

I noticed it on the second listen. It was said so non-chalantly, it didn't register with me. She said she was "basically" threatened, which is fair. "Who's going to save you when your attacked?" is can be reasonably so interpreted.

Ann did not characterize it that way in her written post, however, which is where I went for Ann's interpretation of the event outside the heat of the moment. I didn't see an overreaction on her part at all that would justify any scolding.

wildswan said...

What you are doing is really great because they know you are making a record and that will raise the level but it isn't easy to do.

In all demos there is a group of people scattered about who are organizing. It would be interesting to get these organizers on camera; try for an interview. But how do you know them when they keep a low profile? They recognize you and are staying off camera. They are often at the back of the crowd so they can see what is happening; they model behavior - how to act at the demo - for regular people; they seem kind of professional; they intervene when their people start to lose arguments.

David said...

I suppose it could be mocking or a threat. Or a threatening mock.

This time I don't agree with Crack. In cases of ambiguity seems to me that minimizing the potential risk is a bad policy.

DADvocate said...

Typical Wisconsin liberals, feel big and brave by threatening a woman.

Concealed carry.

chickelit said...

I kinda hope that stuff is still going on in June. I want go to one these events live.

Anonymous said...
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chickelit said...

The dude at the end with the lisp mispronounces your name, No?

DADvocate said...

They were rude , sarcastic and mocking as Crack said, but where was the threat?

When you're rude, sarcastic and mocking in public, you're being threatening. You're saying, "I can do whatever I want to you. I can pour beer on your head in a restaurant. I can get in your face. I can violate your personal space. Threats aren't just in words. Words often contradict an attackers actions. "I won't hurt you. Honest."

You and Crack need to get real. Try talking to someone like that next time you go to the grocery store and see what happens.

sane_voter said...

I would like to see some of the black "protesters" of the WI state fair attacks come over and interact with these lib tools that Ann filmed. That would make for some fun and interesting video and massive cognitive dissonance to boot.

Anonymous said...
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Synova said...

"I wish no harm on either of these naifs, but when they waltz through mobs and poke their cameras into people's faces, they're not just reporting, they're provoking. Sooner or later, one of those mouth-breathers is going to take that provocation at face value and respond according to type."

Some occupiers (now called "un-occupy" for some reason) disrupted a planned pro-Israeli event on campus and were shocked, shocked, when they got the business back at them and got physically pushed out of the event. One girl fell or something and got a concussion, supposedly.

Whine, whine, whine, we ONLY wanted to be *heard* they said. We didn't want to *disrupt* anything. Cry. As if they don't have equal rights to have a talk that no one will go to.

So, yes, lots of people seem to be surprised when the people they harass fail to act like there is nothing wrong with it.

I don't know quite how taking pictures or asking questions is hostile when there is a rally and people want to be seen. I'm sure the people who don't want to talk, don't. And if you've made a poster or wore a shirt with a stupid saying on it, didn't you do that on purpose to get attention?

Still, there's a reason I'm not a demonstrator and I don't go to rallies. Though I think that next time I'm accosted on campus and asked to call my congresspersons to make sure the university gets more money, I think I'll ask how much they think that the brand new sprinkler systems that are being installed on campus cost the taxpayer.

David said...

The sad thing is that, after the Lefties ruin the economy of Wisconsin, they'll move to a more fiscally sound state and repeat the process.
The simile that comes to mind is metastasizing cancer.

Old Patriot said...

I'd love to be there just one time with about 100 of my friends, and shout out "Company, fix bayonets!" It would take Madison three days to clean the streets.

Fiftyville said...

The fact they can't leave you alone is a definite mark of the leftist trait of lack of self-control. I wonder how many of them get the state to pay for their mood-stabilizers?

PT said...

You know, Open Carry is legal without a permit in Wisconsin. Just sayin'

Bob_R said...

I understand where Crack is coming from, but I'm afraid in their silly, white-bread, midwestern way they are trying to appear threatening.

mike said...

Wow, the beta male Democrats (but I repeat myself) were out in force.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

That kind of behavior speaks of an insecurity some libs have about their position.. being insecure they feel threatened.. feeling threatened they say stupid things.

My sense is Althouse's presence made the young woman uncomfortable.. a discomfort she tried to mask with mockery.

Minus the violent nuance.. its a good thing when libs are uncomfortable.

Sal said...

They were rude... but threatening? I'm not do sure. A couple of putz's, nothing more, nothing less. I'm guessing the affirmation is quite a rush, though, no?

Mary Beth said...

"Who's going to save you if you get attacked?" would be mocking. "Who's going to save you when you get attacked?" sounds like a threat to me.

garage mahal said...

They're thugs and pussies. Can't make up my mind!

Bob_R said...

I mean, everyone knows that someone in a Slayer hat is a total badass.

The real threat here is to the producers of Portlandia. They have no way to get ahead of the satire curve.

DADvocate said...

They were rude, but if you perceive rudeness as a threat

You intentionally avoid reality. They were more than rude. Rudeness is when you fail to hold the door open, or step in front of someone instead of letting them pass by.

When you accost a private individual is the manner as the protesters, you're being threatening, especially if you know who the person is.

Your position betrays your bias. Certainly, you sympathize too much with the protesters. I imagine you would find a way to justify their violence if they committed any. Denying their threatening behavior is the first step towards condoning their justifiable violence.

Anonymous said...

Against my better judgement, i watched the video. Just when you think that it would be impossible for Madison lefties to be any more immature (and lame), they go ahead and turn it up to eleven.

AlanKH said...

"Who's going to save you when you get attacked?"

If someone asked that of Tammy Bruce, she'd reply "Snuffy Bruce."

Anonymous said...
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Cincinnatus said...

Cheap thugs, the contrast to the TEA Party rallies that the Left falsely claimed were violent is stark.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

They're thugs and pussies. Can't make up my mind!

Look!!

Even the stones are crying out ;)

edutcher said...

The hat saying "Slayer" was a dead (no pun) giveaway.

When they chant, "This is what democracy looks like", we are reminded democracy is mob rule.

PS garage, for drawing the line, you're a good guy.

PPS That line, "Your new husband — it's so sad.", sounds like a few of our own dear trolls.

Maybe we were looking at shiloh and didn't know it.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Crack & Oppenheimer:

Read Chip's comment a couple times "Yes, I can see how inquiring about your protection can in no way be perceived as a threat. "

Then tell me there was no hint of "watch your ass meddling bitch" in their tone. It is a public place- and they made it clear Althouse was unwelcome and also, in their opinion, especially unprotected by herself.

Anonymous said...

I think Lem nails it re: insecurity on their part. The young woman looked a little shocked and scared when AA actually calls her on the crap she said.

On Monday, when all of the excitement is gone and their friends disperse...they'll be back to looking for their red Swingline stapler.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Do we still have freedom of movement in this country?

The idea that if you are having your protest in the public square, people that disagree shouldn't be there.. where did that come from?

I missed that class in HS.

Where is that in the constitution ;)

Micha Elyi said...

"Yes, I can see how inquiring about your protection can in no way be perceived as a threat."-Chip Ahoy (7:57)

9 out of 10 women's studies professors wouldn't see it that way. And the tenth won't commit to an answer.

DADvocate said...

Oopenheimer - Where I grew up in Tennessee and the area I live in now, KY/OH, the words directed at Ann are considered "fightin' words." Fightin' words because they're threatening and show gross disrespect. I guess Wisconsinites have depleted mental functioning from clogged arteries caused by eating too much cheese and have trouble comprehending such things.

The Hilltop View of Morris County said...

Naif, a good description of anyone
who goes among the great unwashed
unescorted.
Ann, you should either have someone much bigger than you or carrying when
you're among the barbarians.
They only understand force.

Sue D'Nhym said...

Are they so into the moment that they don't have a clue that I'm going to put up this blog post?

No. They are saying to you that they think the numbers are on their side, and that the power (Obama and the Democrats and the vast majority of journalists) are on their side as well. They think they are the vanguard, and want you to show all of their fellow travelers that they don't need to be afraid of repercussions. There won't be any.

And if past is prologue, you'll end up voting the way they want you to more often than not going forward. Probably not on the recall, though.

Rosalyn C. said...

I've seen video of Occupy Wall Street protests where police were routinely hauling people away and people were shrieking and screaming at the top of their lungs about assault and police brutality. I've also seen video of students at UC Davis screaming hysterically at the top of their lungs claiming assault when police were calmly removing them from their tents.

Here Ann Althouse objects to being accosted by a stranger while she is benignly taking pictures, but a protester believes that deserves being mocked and harassed? No, not after what I've seen from the occupy crowd.

It's extremely disappointing and repulsive for me to see the full extent of the moral decay and rot of the left. What has happened to the idealism and spirituality and positive aspirations that I associated with youth? It's all been replaced by sarcasm and nihilism. Their innocence has been supplanted by aggressive rudeness. What's the proper response to that mentality?

Honestly I don't know because I don't like to interact with people I consider mentally ill or incapable of rational conversation. As far as I am concerned people who behave that negatively don't have much to look forward to in life if that's their starting point. What a waste.

bagoh20 said...

The left's signature personal characteristic is shown again here: believing to be intellectually superior while clearly and loudly demonstrating the opposite. It's the primary characteristic of almost every protester I've seen in these videos. A few of the younger ones have some humility, and seem to understand they may not know it all even if they feel they are on the right side. They're the ones who ask sincere questions, and seem open to your answers. They are few and far between and are likely future conservatives - happy, productive and always learning.

Rialby said...

Repeat after me Ann... The scary ones are the white male fallocracists who are going to take away my ovarian rights. These people are my friends...

Greg said...

Proper answer to the question -- "I am. Who's going to save YOU when I start shooting the thugs who attack me?"

The Crack Emcee said...

Ann and Meade are well-known amongst the protest crowd of Madison now. I'd say something more but too many of you are in your own full-on, mob rule, see-what-you-want-to-see mentality:

Some are claiming to see "veiled" behavior, while others seem to be expecting some special courtesy for Ann - a feminist - because she's "a woman walking alone." Talk about wanting your cake and eating it, too,...

Saying anything to those bending reality - and their own good sense - to such an extent would be pointless. That girl in the Slayer hat and that balding, bouncing, long hair are no threat - they just know who Althouse is, what she's claimed happened before, and think she lied. I (and Oopenheimer) say Ann's still making stuff up - and dragging Meade into it - which is totally uncool.

Either go out, be brave, and tell the truth, or don't.

More twisting of the truth isn't helping anybody,...

bagoh20 said...

Why the aggression, and mocking. You have one person there who might not fully be on board with your protest and you don't try to convince them, understand them or bring them in - you attack? I don't get it and I don't think this happens much at gatherings of Tea Party or other conservative groups. In fact, the left goes into those with the same aggressive approach, looking for confrontation. They are just mean, rude, clueless totalitarians, who have no respect for alternate views.

I don't know how smart decent people like Althouse who is basically from that side of the spectrum are not just repulsed. How do they hang on to liberalism and see these approaches as equal but just opposite views. They are different in basic decency and truth. They weren't always, but have been for a long time now - decades.

Rob said...

Hey, the imposing physical presence of Professor Althouse scares them.

madAsHell said...

Why are you re-living last years prom?

I mean....this is Obama's territory.

bagoh20 said...

What they said was a threat, technically, but they didn't mean it as in you will get hurt. They knew that wasn't likely. They wanted Ann to be scared though - an attempt at petty terrorism. They wanted her to feel uncomfortable, like bullies on the playground. I would be really embarrassed if I did that, but I'm not a liberal, and I'm very proud of that and getting prouder every day. I chose to be a conservative/libertarian, and it's good and decent.

Skippy said...

I can't ever remember agreeing with Crack, either, but I just thought they were being a bunch of idiot smarty pants. But Althouse is very sensitive, which I don't get. She's a law professor; can't she beat up a bunch of smarty pantses with her words? No, she ran to Meade and claimed she was being threatened. Good grief. I guess that's what she teaches law students to do...if you can't think if some brilliant answer, accuse silly people of threats. Either way, a win!

The Crack Emcee said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
bagoh20 said...

Crack, when you walk up to a stranger and start mocking them, you are attacking them, which is why it will often get you a bloody lip in a lot of places, as you well know.

KCFleming said...

I hope the young lady in the Slayer hat doesn't take this the wrong way, but Who's gonna save you when you get attacked?

How do you like them apples, young lady?

Jon Burack said...

People go to these demonstrations, I beleve, mainly for self-validation. I do not think they actually care a bit as to the effectiveness of what they do. The self-validation comes directly as a result of the hate they gin up. Hence the inhuman looking puppets etc. When Ann and Meade show up, it produces rage that in this case the lady covers up with nervous and utterly inane laughing. The rage is because Ann and Meade remind them that actual human beings do disagree with them and stand ready to challenge them. That is NOT what they can even imagine being able to handle.

John Richardson said...

I'm with OldGrouchyCranky on this one - avail yourself of WI's shall issue concealed carry law, get your permit, get some good training, and carry.

Otherwise I'd avoid these mobs like the plague as a crowd can be very unpredictable and thus very dangerous.

KCFleming said...

Crowds react differently while they think the target might be carrying.

Strange, that.

Jon Burack said...

Crack,

You know you are sort of entertaining in a way. But I really hope when Mitt gets to be president, he hauls you in for questioning, straps you down and forces you to watch re-runs of Big Love until you beg for mercy and promise to be nice from here on in.

Steve Austin said...

Is Ann going to be attacked here? Of course not.

But the subtext of the people around her is to make her feel very uncomfortable. Why? Because they know that her ideas are a threat to them.

This really has been the entire subtext of the Madisonista crowd for the past year. Make people feel uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable.

Rather than debate ideas and allow some of the reforms of Scott Walker to take effect and see what works or doesn't work and vote accordingly in 2012 and 2014, they would prefer to emote and intimidate.

It always amazes me that the Madison crew that cheers the slogans of "democracy' and "free speech" have spent basically the past year using intimidation and harassment tactics to try and get their way.

Keep filming Ann and Meade. Every day you continue to shine a light on these people is another day their support among the rest of the State declines.

Kirk Parker said...

Old Patriot,

That's an amusing picture, but what makes you think any of these folks would even know what you meant?

bagoh20 said...

"Aren't you just admitting you're too violent and less-than-composed to have a conversation with someone who may not talk like you?"

Yes, and why do we all have to be composed? I like to go off and punch people for saying the wrong thing, especially nuns - crippled ones if I can find 'em and taunt 'em into saying something religious, which really sets me off.

willem said...

The "scrawn-of-slayer" chic reminded me of the archetypical Canadian hippie moralist from BC. Besides the voice, there was that calvinistic prot-rigid confrontive style; a post modern victorian priggery of sorts. Very "better than you because."

Funny thing, malice. Dangerous, too.

Call it what you will, one thing was unshakably apparent to me.

They did not approach Ann or Meade in good faith, nor did they appear to have any consideration of their well-being at heart, nor did mutual conviviality appear to be their motive. Their regard was disingenuous and meant to unsettle and intimidate.

Young Count Luvox in the Grizzly Adams costume was particularly disturbing, as was the Lurch character sans DeLorean with the 'Back To The Furniture' hair.

Remember the Chicago honor student walking home from school during the initial weeks of the Obama campaign? It was December-February 2008 or so?

Mere blocks from a public school on a Chicago street where after school child-on-child violence had been routinely occurring, conspicuously, there were no union members to be found. No school security, education or child welfare employees, no proctoring administrative oversight, no municipal or county employees whether LEO or other.

On this Chicago street the killing of a young honor student was captured on video.

The behavior and language of the prowling Madison cadre directed toward Ann and Meade as caught on video reminded me of the oddly-detached swagger, swarm and parry of attackers that exploded into action that Chicago day, crushing the skull of an innocent and noble child with a considerable length of 2 x 6 timber; a child murdered by idiots full of moral certainty.

Such people tend to telegraph the madness in them. Too often, that madness sits at the precipice of explosive or lethal action.

I think they wanted Ann to know what lurked just beneath the disingenuous parry. Our visceral instincts evade empirical proving prior to its violent manifestation. The need for proof evaporates with the moment. Either the violence happens or it doesn't.

Threat; expressing the need to threaten or be threatening, that is also a violence.

Whatever day, whatever the protest, they are archetypically always there because they want and they need others to know they are dangerous. Where else have they to go?

Perhaps "The Cause" is just a vehicle to exercise the psychoses and rage that haunts them.

How Progressive for "really smart people" to organize them into political constituencies, safe in the knowledge it will forever be Bush's fault.

Isn't that the same thinking that made little Billy Maher a multi-millionare public policy genius?

wyo sis said...

Crack lives in Utah? That explains a lot. We here in Wyo have serious issues with Utah drivers. It's irrational, but then most of them are Mormons.

wyo sis said...

This is awkward.
Crack, If I was insensitive it's because I don't know your past. If there is a particular reason my comment hurt you I apologize.

William said...

Althouse seems a reliable witness. I don't bear any ill will towards a civil servant who wants more money. Why should a civil servant be different than anyone else in America? Having said that, it must be observed that these particular protestors are, at a bare minimum, obnoxious. Most of the demonstrators that Meadehouse film seem like decent enough people, but these gave off a sinister vibe......Prior to Alinsky, there used to be a technique called fanonization. You got in the oppressor's face and made the oppressor respond in such a way as to reveal his true, brutal nature. The point was not to make you feel uncomfortable or intimidated but to make you angry and get you to say something stupid. Very heaven it would have been to get that blackshirt Meade to take a swing at someone.....By going to these demonstrations, Althouse puts herself out there, and some pushback is inevitable, but these pushbacked in a way that subverted their cause.

rcommal said...

Good on you, Althouse. Bravo.

(I mean that quite seriously. Anyone who knows who I am is welcome to e-mail me, and I'll confirm that I mean it, straight up, no irony or oblique message about it.)

*Drip. Drip. Drip.*

---

Rob Crawford said...

You really should lay off the crack, Emcee.

Jum said...

Unbelievable. And the media completely ignores this shameful behavior of the "protesters". This fact alone, if it were necessary, conclusively proves a sea change in our media. Stay with me a moment.

I've closely followed national and state politics since I first "helped" my chief polling inspector grandfather collect and count ballots almost 50 years ago. In that time I've been aware of and followed every major national political story, and have closely tracked how the news media have reported on political figures and issues. And I know the trends of coverage.

The US news media of the last half of the 20th century generally strove, with notable exceptions and with decreasing intensity and commitment as the century waned, to cover stories objectively. The media ordinarily did try very hard to avoid the appearance of anything like favoritism, partisanship, bias or prejudice in their political coverage. Of course they didn't achieve it, but they usually tried.

Because of my 50 years of experience and close attention, I can say, without fear of contradiction, that the traditional national political media we knew from roughly 1950-2000 no longer exists. Not even a shadow left. It is quite literally extinct, the victim of an execution, more accurately a suicide, by the left. The left - those loud lip-servers of the vital necessity of a free, and vigorous, even antagonistic press. What hypocrisy.

In its place today is a cynical and brazenly partisan media class which, much more than merely being slanted in what it covers, doesn't even care that its bias in favor of the left is blatantly obvious. For one reason, they know they won't ever be taken to task or embarrassed by their fellows, so thorough and uniform is this 21st-century media commitment to the left and the Democrat Party.

Words like "bias" and "slant" actually fall far short of accurately describing the depth of investment so much of our news-gathering force has in the left side of our political spectrum. The behavior of the media since 2007 beggars description. Assessed objectively, the media's conduct would best be described as being members of the Obama campaign, and thereafter as part of the Obama Administration. Because what they report and don't report on; how they frame issues and ask questions; are identical to how members of the campaign/administration would.

Which brings us to the shameful event at hand. Had this happened to anyone in 1970, it would have been a big story.* But not today. Only philosophical members of the Obama Administration could justify not reporting on this second, unbelievably egregious and thuggish behavior by the professional leftist protesters besieging Madison (with the happy assistance of those state and local employees who are public-union-members, including, chiefly, law enforcement officers). A neutral media would have reported on this, but not a media that has thrown in with the side being which would,be embarrassed if the story came out. So no story came out. And we've all gotten so used to the loss of an honest news media that no one even comments.

Which makes the non-traditional media all the more important.

Keep recording, Ann. I say with no exaggeration, actions such as yours are our only hope of recovering or recreating a free and independent press.




* Surely no one will dispute at this late date that had this been a contemporary gathering of Tea Party-ers, and had they acted like the "progressives" here, it would have led at least 5 news programs. Hopefully the countless failed attempts by the left's trolls to "get" something on the incredibly well-behaved and forbearing Tea Party-ers has persuaded them to abandon such juvenile tactics as hopeless.

Bill M said...

Something tells me she wouldn't be so cavalier with her threat if the odds were a little more even. But that's the way they roll, brave in numbers. As individuals, they're cowards.

Rusty said...

Nothing says, "I wasted for years of art school", like a paper mache' head.

The funny thing, Ann/Meade, or disturbing thing depending, If there wasn't a camera there, and they thought they could get away with it, they'd beat the crap out of you.
It's how progressives roll.

Rusty said...

The Crack Emcee said...
Damn, I hate you people sometimes,...



What do you mean, "You people". white b..........Aw crap.



My only argument in favor of Althouse here is that we as conservatives have to call them,(progressives) out on everything. Every little thing. make them live up to their own rules, or raise them to our standards, but never let them control the dialog.
Other than that I'm with ya.

Hagar said...

Mean girls.

AA was not going to be attacked as the situation was, but if the crowd got denser and more worked up, like it was a year ago, this woman and her friends let it be known that they would be cheering the mob on and might well use the opportunity to get in a few punches or scratches themselves, if they could do so without being recorded.

Hematite said...

Ann: You weren't being threatened. You were being mocked for your absurd attempts to provoke something, anything, that would let you play the victim.

Hematite said...

Ann: You weren't being threatened. You were being mocked for your absurd attempts to provoke something, anything, that would let you play the victim.

kjbe said...

She's mocking you, with words, and you're mocking her, with the video. Both of you are being pretty passive-aggressive...

Even Steven. I call a draw.

Meade said...

garage mahal said...
"They're thugs and pussies. Can't make up my mind!"

This may be the smartest garage comment I have ever read. Actually, forget the garage part - one of the smartest comments period.

LarryK said...

This is what failure looks like - what a pathetic collection of penny ante hatemongers.

Kudos for capturing their real nature on camera. They're nasty now, but can you imagine how they're going to act when they lose the recall, then lose again in November? (Tammy Baldwin, at the very least, will go down in flames) Their smirks could turn to real rage.

RebeccaH said...

They're like those kids who like to congregate behind a news reporter in the field and jump up and down, waving their hands and mugging for the camera. I think it's just a basic desire to be noticed.

Ann Althouse said...

Crack, you've got to be kidding. Loading up this thread with endless stuff about Mormons? I'm pretty tolerant of your stuff and I didn't delete your harsh criticism of me, but I'm taking out many comments that don't belong here. Take it to your own blog or wait for a post where it's on topic.

B said...

Defend it and/or explain - if it's still going on and Romney was Bishop - why it's not your responsibility to ask about it.

No. It's your obsession. You deal with it.

And again, fuck off with the declarations that applying your obsession as a vetting for who I should support is some standard for civic responsibility. I didn't accept that when Clinton or Bush was in office, or Obama now. I exercise my civic responsibility to make informed voting decisions based on honesty, performance, and political philosophy. Not based on the bigotry, bile, or conspiracy delusions of ANY group or ANY of media enablers that leverage them.

Your signage is different, but when it comes down to poisoning the discourse, you're no different from the jackasses Althouse ran into Saturday.

Ali Baba & the 40 oz said...

"When" is the operative term here. It indicates that an attack is forthcoming.

Words mean things.

AST said...

This is typical of school children, bullies and leftists. They throw around words like "democracy" and "rights" a lot, but they don't know what they mean. or they'd realize how Unamerican the occupy movement and this whole recall stunt look.

leslyn said...

Oh BS. You don't recognize sarcasm when you hear it. This film clip shows harmless people, flashing the peace sign, who were making fun of you. There"s nothing in this video. You chose to elevate yourself to being "threatened." It's apparently hard on you not to be taken seriously.

This makes me tired.

leslyn said...

Larry K said, "This is what failure looks like -what a pathetic collection of penny ante hatemongers."
That seems to apply to about 90% of the comments on here.

@ "Mathadras" (how pretentious! So you think you're a warlock. Big deal.) Go live somewhere else. You're too violent for Wisconsin.

And John Burack: Do you mean that when Mitt gets elected, the Bill of Rights goes out the window?

It's hard for me to fathom how violent y'all are.

merlin said...

wow that is great, youPrada outlet will love it

Loren said...

"Who's going to save you when you get attacked?" is pretty much the same as "Nice business you got here. Be a shame if it burned down."

Threats don't have to be completely stated. The mob (or screenwriters for mob movies) learned that a long time ago.