Ted Nugent Promises to Tone Down “Hateful Rhetoric” While Claiming He Has “Never Referenced Violence” in the Past
I’m honestly not sure what to make of this.
Following this week’s mass shooting in Alexandria, VA, in which those injured included House majority whip Steve Scalise, Ted Nugent went on the WABC radio show Curtis & Eboni and seemed to do a one-eighty. From The Washington Post:
But after Wednesday’s shooting at a congressional baseball practice, Nugent has decided to be “more selective with my rants and in my words.”
“At the tender age of 69, my wife has convinced me I just can’t use those harsh terms,” he said on the 77 WABC radio program Thursday. “I cannot and will not and I encourage even my friends, slash, enemies on the left, in the Democrat and liberal world, that we have got to be civil to each other.”
“I’m not going to engage in that kind of hateful rhetoric anymore.”
This is pretty amazing coming from an ardent Trump supporter who defended South African apartheid, asserted that gun control is a Jewish conspiracy, and was investigated by the Secret Service for insinuating that he might attempt to assassinate Barack Obama. It’s not quite as shocking as if, say, Varg Vikernes made a YouTube video calling for tolerance amongst all races, religions, and sexual identities, but it’s close.
It also, unfortunately, comes with an asterisk, according to Salon:
After adding that “if it gets fiery, if it gets hateful, I’m going away,” Nugent argued that this didn’t mean he wouldn’t continue being “feisty.” His point, rather, was that “I’ve got to get my psyche in tune [so] that I can still hold the ground — and I can be feisty, I can be fiery, I can be passionate. But I will avoid anything that can be interpreted as condoning or referencing violence.”
This was all commendable, yet Nugent also claimed that he had “never referenced violence; I’ve said some smart-ass stuff in the past.”
Which is horse shit. These are direct quotes from statements Nugent has made in the past:
- April 17, 2012: “If Barack Obama becomes the president in November again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.”
- August 3, 2013: “[T]he race-baiting industry saw an opportunity to further the racist careers of Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the Black Panthers. President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, et al, who then swept down on the Florida community refusing to admit that the 17-year-old dope smoking, racist gangsta wannabe Trayvon Martin was at all responsible for his bad decisions and standard modus operendi of always taking the violent route.”
- September 4, 2014: “Unarmed & helpless Americans and Europeans will be viciously ambushed when they least expect it, and the death toll will be more brutal and widespread than all the peace & love dreamers could ever imagine. Those who carry guns had better gun & ammo up no matter where you go, carrying at least 10 spare mags or 10 spare speedloaders because the allahpukes are confident they will once again methodically slaughter walking cowering whining cryin helpless sitting ducks capable of zero resistance. To gullible naive embarrassing ill prepared targets, there is still time to firepower up ASAP. Head for cover but retain an attentiveness in order to identify the evildoers and dbl tap center mass, then two to the head. Then take cover and prepare your next evasive escape, taking dwn known jihadists to the best of your ability, Aim small miss small center mass & headshots, This is going to be the real deal & absolutely survivable against these 4th world allahpuke zombies. STAND! Go heavy, Only assholes are outgunned, Dont be outgunned or out ammo’d. Goodluck. Be safe, Shoot straight & OFTEN, Godspeed, killemall”
No, Teddy, you’re right, you’ve never referenced violence. Also, Eddie Van Halen has never touched an electric guitar, no one has ever said a bad word about Cold Lake, and I’ve never made a typo.
The bottom line is this: it would be so great if Nugent really has turned a corner. But now he has to prove that his words actually mean something.
