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Andrew Sullivan cites Scott Payne, who responds to what he calls my "approving" reaction to Rep. Grayson's GOP-like outbursts:
Ethically, I think Holocaust comparisons are always beyond the pale and the unethical behavior of others does not justify unethical behavior in response. But then, I'm not a Democrat, and I haven't spent the last few months being accused of wanting to kill old people, so maybe under other circumstances I'd feel differently. Personally, I'm as frustrated that we've gotten to this point as Payne is.
-- A. Serwer
As I’ve said a couple of times, I’m all in on the Democrats adding a bit more gusto to their game and think that a willingness to stand up to some of the muck being flung by Republicans in the healthcare debate would do them wonders both internally and externally vis-a-vis the debate. But sinking to the level of Republicans in terms of hyperbolic and distracting debate tactics was, let’s just say, not what I had in mind.I was extremely careful to couch my assessment of Grayson in political terms, not ethical ones. I did not "approve" of the ethics of Grayson's behavior -- I merely said that from a political point of view, the Democrats' political ambitions would probably be helped by a few people willing to be just as unhinged as the GOP has been of late. Indeed, Payne sadly acknowledges that "Grayson may well be on exactly the right path for the times."
Ethically, I think Holocaust comparisons are always beyond the pale and the unethical behavior of others does not justify unethical behavior in response. But then, I'm not a Democrat, and I haven't spent the last few months being accused of wanting to kill old people, so maybe under other circumstances I'd feel differently. Personally, I'm as frustrated that we've gotten to this point as Payne is.
-- A. Serwer
