As the story of the tragic events in Arizona unfold, it is good to bear in mind that the immediate reports of events like this are often confused and contradictory and full of uniformed and misleading speculation about what actually happened and who did what and why.
It is best to suspend judgement for at least a few days until it becomes clear what the facts of the case are, based on the statements of people who are usually reliable sources (hospitals, local police officers, actual witnesses of events).
Usually I am with you a 100% Dr. Singham but I believe this is precisely the time when this should be discussed in relation to the right’s violent rhetoric. The facts that high ranking officials and pundits from the far right have been tacitly promoting violence may not be linked directly to the shooting but it should be discussed how much this rhetoric facilitated the event.
I agree with Somite. Just look at this event which was held by her teabagger opponent Jesse Kelly during her re-election campaign:
http://www.blogforarizona.com/.a/6a00d8341bf80c53ef0133f0e5916a970b-800wi
A constant drumbeat of that kind of stuff (remember all the talk about the “Second Amendment solution”) has a very predictable effect on certain kinds of mentally unstable people. And because it’s predictable, politicians like Jesse Kelly should not be allowed to claim innocence.
There’s no indication that Jared Loughner ever paid any attention to Sarah Palin’s “reload” ads, Jesse Kelly’s gun-toting rallies, or any other violent-undertoned political messages. Based on his Myspace & YouTube posts, it appears that he’s a very deranged, unhinged man. Holding anybody but Loughner responsible for his terrorist act is unfair & ludicrous.
That being said, I think there’s a lot to be said for reevaluating the wisdom of using gun & violence metaphors & messages to inspire a contingency that, by and large, prides itself on its lack of reason & its inventory of firearms. Palin isn’t responsible for this incident -- but you don’t have to be responsible for a car accident to see one & think that maybe you could afford to be a little more careful with your own driving.
I think this episode is going to worsen political discourse.
When all is said and done this will be a mentally ill person who has been planning this for a few years. The Palin cross-hairs thing is going to be a nasty coincidence. The fact that the congresswoman said she carried a Glock 9mm will probably prove to have had more influence on the shooter.
But because of this left vs right atmosphere we have (instead of corporations vs the people) the left will use this opportunity to vent their hatred of the Right and Palin. The far right will deepen the trenches to protect Palin.
And while this is all happening Obama will send more troops to Afghanistan and feed his Wall Street cronies more gifts.
Daily Kos has compiled a list of the kind of violent speech coming from the right over the last few years. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2011/1/9/934563/-Guns,-God-and-Incitement
What it boils down to is, even if this crackpot never heard any of this, violent talk is wildly inappropriate when we are living in a world where political violence has been and can continue to be real.
Friday night I went to a book signing for The Kennedy Detail and two secret service men who were there at the assassination of JFK. They described the whole thing in horrible detail (like the real reason Mrs. Kennedy crawled on to the trunk was to retrieve pieces of her husband’s brain), and one described how he broke the news to Robert who didn’t even reply, but just hung up. It was so powerful and moving, I doubt there was a dry eye in the room.
Violence is REAL. Goodness forbid one of Palin’s kids get shot and killed by some maniac. Would she still be so cavalier with her words? Responsible, compassionate, mature adults in positions of power and influence should not even be joking about violence. It’s sick and disgusting. I’d like to see Coulter and Beck and Angle and Palin explain themselves to Jackie Kennedy or the family’s of the victims of Timothy McVeigh. It’s a disgrace to our nation, and we should strike while the iron’s hot.
It seems to me that time and time again the gun laws in America are up for discussion afyer yet more tragic deaths, you can not legislate for mad and derranged idiots choosing to go out one day and destroy lives but we need to start making it harder for those idiots to arm themselves!