Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition, 6 others killed in Arizona

[Free Palestine]

what kind of  left winger likes Mein Kampf?

My insane professor apparently has it in his office, next to the Communist Manifesto and Ghandi's (auto?)biography.  He says he expects them to explode someday.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Can people reading this thread please not report posts just because they find the political angle of them distasteful and/or stupid? Obviously emotions are running high (and that's fine; normal even) but, you know. I mean, within reason of course. Trolling is trolling.

a screenshot that counts roughly 24 of my most recent reports in my email inbox:

Yeah... I'd have just locked the thread by now or decided I'd deal with everything in the morning.

Gold star for Lunar and his epic awesome mod-ness!

[You kip if you want to...]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/flashback-gabrielle-giffords-said-of-sarah-palins-crosshairs-ad-theres-consequences-to-that-action/

[You kip if you want to...]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Rest in peace Christina along with the other victims of today.

[Phony Moderate]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Rest in peace Christina along with the other victims of today.

[nclib]

All of this is very sad. I wish Congresswoman Giffords the best possible recovery.

We don't know whether or not (or to what degree) the assailant was influenced by right-wing rhetoric. But, in any case, people should realize that hateful words do have a potential to lead to hateful actions.

[cinyc]

The Sheriff of Pima County spoke several times about vitriol from radio talk show hosts and general political discourse and how absolutely destructive it is in his press conference.

The Sheriff of Pima County is a hard left Democrat who said he would disregard the Arizona immigration law.  Just because he has a fancy title doesn't make him any less of a partisan hack. 

Words don't kill people.

[Хahar 🤔]

Words don't kill people.

Guns do.

See what I did there?

[Eraserhead]

I don't even know what to say about this. I just got home from work and found out about it now. Obviously, I wish Rep. Giffords and the families of the victims the best. Other than that... speechless.

[cinyc]

All of this is very sad. I wish Congresswoman Giffords the best possible recovery.

We don't know whether or not (or to what degree) the assailant was influenced by right-wing rhetoric. But, in any case, people should realize that hateful words do have a potential to lead to hateful actions.

"People" don't have to realize anything of the sort.  If anything, "people" should realize that human beings have free will and are responsible for their own actions.   Nobody can tell someone else what to do.  Whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me?

Most of the rhetoric on the right simply isn't necessary. It's as simple as that. Can't we all agree on that and go from there?

Absolutely not.  Why is it always the rhetoric on the other side of the aisle that's simply not necessary?  What about the rhetoric on the left?  What about a Presidential candidate telling his supporters to "get in [the] face" of his political opponents?  Was that necessary?  How about a left-wing blogger calling Gifford a "target" and saying there should be a "bulls eye" on her district?  If those on the left want to moralize about the supposedly toxic political discourse, their fellow leftists simply don't get a free pass.  As I've said before, though, the political environment has been much worse in the past.  History is almost always quickly forgotten.

And whose job is it to determine which political rhetoric is necessary, anyway?  The First Amendment protects political speech first and foremost.  Nobody on the left or right should be put in charge of determining what political speech is necessary or hateful or whatever epithet you want to throw at political rhetoric you disagree with.  As far as I know, nobody in the mainstream ever advocated the assassination of Congresswoman Giffords or any other US politician.

[exopolitician]

http://www.alan.com/2010/03/24/palin-puts-gun-sighs-on-target-map-says-ti/

Crazy coincidence.

[RI]

The 9-year old girl Christina who was killed was apparently born the day of 9/11.

[Keystone Phil]

http://www.alan.com/2010/03/24/palin-puts-gun-sighs-on-target-map-says-ti/

Crazy coincidence.

Please see Wormguy's signature.

[nhmagic]

You know, Ive watched from afar this thread and the twitter back and forth.  I'd have to say I'm thoroughly disgusted.  The fact that left wingers were praying that this guy was a tea party member in order to make political points about the rhetoric in this nation and marginalize the tea party.  Right wingers were hoping it was a hispanic so that they could talk about the immigration problem (equally sick because political points were trying to be scored).  Then we come to find out hours later that the guy is a nut and not one single solitary apology comes from anyone left wing on this board for getting it dead WRONG.  Not one single apology comes from Paul Krugman or Politico or CBS News for trying to pin this on tea partiers.  Even still, most of the stories are framed in a way to make the shooter look like an anti-government military activist.  

Instead, even though the guy in all likelihood is more left-wing than right-wing (which really shouldn't matter because he's crazy), it's still Sarah Palin's fault, it's still Glenn Beck's fault, etc.  There are choice words I have for how pathetic some of you are.  In fact, if the shoe were on the other foot and this were a republican, there would not be even the same level of sympathy and many of you would have taken pleasure in the death.  That's right - pleasure.  You would have loved to see something like this actually happen to Sarah Palin and her children.  You would have even said she deserved it.

There isn't anything that makes Americans more angry than watching people politicize death.  

[Keystone Phil]

For the record, I didn't see or hear anyone hoping it was an illegal immigrant but if that was the case, they're equally nauseating.

[Beet]

There isn't anything that makes Americans more angry than watching people politicize death.  

Not saying I endorse the 'omg this is all the Republicans' fault' stuff, but...

How did you feel watching the 2004 GOP convention?

[Lunar]

I haven't see that immigrant theory thing in this thread either, even among the many posts I've deleted

But, like I've said, an assassination of a political figures is inherently political.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I don't think the specific ideology of Giffords or the shooter is particularly relevant. If you look at political assassinations in the past fifty years or so, rarely does the reasoning behind the shooting have anything logical to do with the individual that was shot.

There are political leaders and members of the media who may have contributed to the actions of this man, but it shouldn't be thought of as a left vs. right dynamic. It's a difference between those who use responsible political rhetoric and those that do not. As the Pima County Sheriff said, just because it's free speech doesn't mean it doesn't have consequences.

You're right that it shouldn't be thought of in a "left vs. right" dynamic.  But again, to say that extreme rhetoric in the media, of which much comes from the right, and especially in the past 2 years, has no negative effect on people is naive.  

I very much think this tragedy should be a wake up call to people out there to tone down their rhetoric.  They are not responsible for what happened, but they *can* control their own rhetoric and not feed the freaks out there.

[Keystone Phil]

But, like I've said, an assassination of a political figures is inherently political.

The discussion is political but to assign a specific political motivation/ideology just after this happens is ridiculous.

[nhmagic]

There isn't anything that makes Americans more angry than watching people politicize death.  

Not saying I endorse the 'omg this is all the Republicans' fault' stuff, but...

How did you feel watching the 2004 GOP convention?

Bush was there right...Like I needed a shower.

[Zarn]

I'm not looking to argue with anyone about anything. Please, leave me out of it.

I just wanted to say that I pray that she has a speedy recovery.

[Lunar]

But, like I've said, an assassination of a political figures is inherently political.

The discussion is political but to assign a specific political motivation/ideology just after this happens is ridiculous.

Of course, of course.  But I guess I mean it's a political act, an assassination of this type. It's not a political act from the opposing party (an easy misconception) of course, but it's not easy to separate from politics altogether as sad as it is

This one is particularly rough as people assign preconceived stereotypes to the situation

[Lief 🗽]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/01/the-cloudy-logic-of-political-shootings/69147/

The whole article is worth a read.

[Landslide Lyndon]

A gun-nut that was anti-government, supported the gold standard and accused a pro-choice woman of being a "terrorist".

Yep, sounds like a leftie to me.

[Keystone Phil]

Yep, sounds like a leftie to me.

Communist Manifesto listed as a favorite book. Definitely a Tea Partier.