The word "troll" sounds weird now

Regardless of whether the intended reaction from such behavior is what Maddow describes here (it's all for attention, it's not to be taken seriously, there's another reason for saying it) or is meant in actual honest-to-God seriousness, is it unreasonable for us to expect that our elected officials not engage in it?

Maybe this reveals a lack of knowledge/appreciation of "political theater" on my part.

@2: Ugh, muddled my own point. I didn't mean that lawmakers shouldn't engage in seriousness. I meant that if their notions could possibly be construed as trolling, then such honest-to-God serious remarks demonstrate they should not be taken seriously.

@3: "they should not be taken seriously" meaning that they, the lawmakers, should not be taken seriously as a result of the remarks they... You know what, I'm just going to go back to bed.

Poor Knat. Yes, lawmakers who engage in trolling should not be taken seriously, even if they make a statement that they want to be taken seriously.

@3, actually you point out something that compliments what Rachel was saying, that the listener or viewer of the troll (and also a follower or fan of the troll) also chooses to "take seriously" what the troll is saying, and thereby purposely deceiving himself. In other words, both the troll and the troll's followers are engaging in "tongue-in-cheek" to the hilt.

I can attest that to personal experience. I have gotten into mindsets against my better judgement, partly because I had axes to grind and that I thought such an exercise would be empowering.

Cool to know that former president George H.W. Bush resigned his NRA membership back in 95!

I want to post this to Facebook, but I am concerned that I will then be trolling the trolls? META-TROLL.

Truly, in the wise words of Adele, we are ALL trolling in the deep.

Reality check: The basic problem with the NRA is not that they don't have a clear grasp of the subtleties of online discourse. The problem with the NRA is that they are a very influential group of sociopaths.

Focus, people, please.

Black people have had a term for this for so long that James Brown wrote a song about it (with appropriate political connotations). It's called "Talkin' Loud (And Saying Nothin')" And just like the Civil Rights movement was not the time for bullshit, this is NOT the time for loud talk with no content. Seriously.