Since September 11, 2001, political debate in America has been dominated by the violent language of the Right. In books and on television, it has become a regular ritual for conservative pundits to “joke” about the deaths of members of government, particularly if they are Democrats or Liberals. And this type of violent rhetoric is not limited to the Ann Coulters of the world, but has been adopted by conservative politicians and intellectuals as well, creating a shrill discourse that silences opposition and destroys any chance for a serious debate of the issues.

In Outright Barbarous: How the Violent Language of the Right Poisons American Democracy, political language expert Jeffrey Feldman analyzes conservative writings and speeches to show how the Right’s language of violence is polluting our civic discourse and limiting the free exchange of ideas. Included here are the words of leaders such as George Bush, Dick Cheney and Rudolph Giuliani; pundits such as Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity; and intellectuals such as Dinesh D’Souza, James Dobson and Newt Gingrich. In addition to exposing the conservative obsession with violence, Feldman also shows how the civic discussion in America can be reshaped without the violent imagery of the Right, creating a healthier political climate.

Jeffrey Feldman is the author of Framing the Debate: Famous Presidential Speeches and How Progressives Can Use Them to Change the Conversation (and Win Elections.) He is also editor of the influential blog, Frameshop, and teaches at New York University.