SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Demonizing, dehumanizing the opposition

Jun 15, 2017, 11:48 AM

The context of the brutal assault in Alexandria, Virginia that wounded Congressman Steve Scalise sends an important public message: our elected representatives may wield enormous power but they’re still ordinary Americans who enjoy getting up early on a bright spring morning to practice for a charity baseball game.

The crazed shooter had been so warped by hateful leftist propaganda that he couldn’t recognize the obvious humanity of his victims: he asked about party affiliation, and when told they were Republicans he was ready to kill. This time, the targets were conservatives and the assailant was a self-styled “progressive,” but both sides have indulged the recent toxic tendency to demonize and dehumanize opponents.

The idea that disagreements over health care, taxes, and foreign policy are enough to justify violent assault is repugnant and profoundly un-American. President Trump sounded the right note when he asked the nation to respond to such hatred by coming together for the common good.

Associated Press

Sea level rise is reshaping a California beach town and threatening a key rail line

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (AP) — For years, residents of this Southern California beach town could walk a mile along a stretch of cream-colored sand and dip their toes in the waves lapping ashore. That trip has been cut short. Coastal erosion has been eating away at the beach in San Clemente, known for nearly a […]

22 minutes ago

Associated Press

2 giant pandas set off to Atlanta zoo from China after Xi-Trump summit

BANGKOK (AP) — Two giant pandas departed Chengdu in southwestern China early Sunday for their new homes in Atlanta as part of an agreement between the Chinese and American governments. While in Washington for a three-day summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the pandas would arrive in Atlanta in […]

6 hours ago

Foreign Minister Thorgerour Katrín Gunnarsdottir of Iceland speaks during the 81st session of the ...

Associated Press

Small bites from the UN: Canada’s wider view, one chaotic rumor and reframing someone else’s words

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — China and Russia got their turns to speak at the United Nations on Saturday, but that wasn’t call. Watchers from across the globe could find news that affected their lives at the U.N. General Assembly meetings. Here are a few moments: ___ Redefining Netanyahu’s words The foreign minister of Iceland, Thorgerdur […]

9 hours ago

Members of the Krewe of Dolly lead a second line parade in commemoration of the life of Dolly Parto...

Associated Press

New Orleans celebrates Dolly Parton Day, in photos

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Fans in New Orleans celebrated Dolly Parton Day, declared in honor of the late country music icon, on Sept. 25. There was music, colorful tributes and plenty of Dolly-inspired style, as they joined communities around the country in honoring the widely beloved Parton. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by […]

10 hours ago

FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone in front of an image generated by ChatGPT's Dal...

Associated Press

OpenAI pauses training of latest models after agents probed US government sites in unexpected ways

NEW YORK (AP) — OpenAI said it has paused training of its latest artificial intelligence models as reports of AI agents going rogue mount. The decision to halt development came just hours after the company disclosed Friday that it was reviewing several incidents from the summer in which OpenAI agents searching federal government websites acted […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

Texas city council candidate who protested ICE shooting faces ‘riot participation’ charge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas city council candidate was arrested Saturday morning on a misdemeanor charge for “riot participation,” a week after he was part of a protest against the shooting of a Venezuelan man by a federal immigration officer. Public jail records do not specify the date of Misael Ramos’ alleged rioting, but […]

13 hours ago

Demonizing, dehumanizing the opposition