Not Blaming Sarah Palin but.....

[QBoroLegend]

To blame her and those of her ilk would be silly - the dude was mentally unstable, however I will offer this example:

If a guy is depressed and suicidal, do you keep reminding him of how bad his life is?

True the extreme politicos (on both left and right) have to be aware that their fiery speech would lead to this. Of course the guy was nuts and probably would have reacted the same way because a squirrel stared at him to long, but still - the over wrought rhetoric has got to stop.

It is one thing to disagree with Dems or Reps or Teas or whomever - I mean even accusing either side of this or that - but to use statements that border on and include hate speech is crazy.

I dont like Sarah Palin, think she is completely useless, but I dont wish her dead - I just wish should wouldnt talk so much. to me, She and Sharpton are the same type of person - run their mouth for their own gain - which in and of itself is harmless, but at least sharpton knows when to shut his mouth.

You know something is wrong with you gotta change your website AFTER a shooting - TARGETS AIMED AT AMERICAN POLITICIANS?"

Listen I say again, I dont blame, palin, limbaugh, beck and the others but they're's got to be a limit. Not to mention these radio guys who go buck out. All the books of unsubstantiated nonsense, all the this one is this and that one is that or even the crazy statements of how this country is headed for destruction, really? The USA is gonna someday become a third world? Really? People are getting incited to craziness, it has got to tone down or stop or something.

PS: PLEASE DON'T POST IN THIS THREAD ANY "TRUTHS" ABOUT THIS ONE OR THAT ONE OR TRY TO TELL ME THAT "I AM BLIND TO THE TRUTH" OR SOME OTHER ANTI DEM/REPUB RHETORIC. I AM TALKING ABOUT A CLIMATE THAT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGE THIS YOUNG MAN TO DESTROY A LITTLE GIRLS LIFE BEFORE SHE EVEN GOT THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE IT.

[thetruth]

I agree the politicos and the media are whacked. Just trying to insight fear into weak minded and stupid people, which is sad to say a majority.

[kotetu]

Qboro, on the one hand I understand what you are saying, but on the other you must remember to carefully consider its potential implications - what if this young man had watched a film that included shooting politicians before going on his rampage? Should Oliver Stone stop making movies about that? Should we not write about it in our books, or include it in our war games?

The point is, as you already said, this young man is very disturbed; his "inspiration" could have come from anywhere, and recognizing that, we should not start assigning blame away from him (as I realize you aren't) or even making any broad assumptions or statements about what is appropriate or not. Extreme situations are a poor time to be making policy decisions - we should do it when we're calm and rational.

Also, forgive me for saying, because I know you asked us not to, but in regards to the "outcry" by our politicians about Palin's target map, it is probably more a matter of grandstanding and showmanship, not to mention more fear mongering and eventually more pushing for ever more encroaching "national security" laws, than real, honest-to-goodness concern. Politicians are mostly snakes and weasels.

[r3dw00d]

I think the shooting exemplifies the fact that our media is not acting with this country's best interests in mind. If you listen to the media, than dems and repubs are at war, and then there are insane tea party people who challenge them both. The create a scenario with an endless news cycle, and our citizens eat it up.

We are all trying to have the same thing: A life lived in peace, with freedom to do as we think and believe (as long as we don't harm others). So, who is it that REALLY creates the disunity? The dems, repubs, tea party, ron paul folks, or the media?

[awelliott]

Some demogogues are saying that Palin targeted politicians by placing "crosshairs" on a map covering their districts. That is false.

Crosshairs:



Survey marker:



Palin's web site:



While I'm no fan of Sarah Palin (I'm politically very conservative, but consider her increasingly as a circus sideshow), this kind of attack is as big a threat as the shooting, because it is an attack on our Bill of Rights.

It's interesting to note that a couple of politically liberal organizations have run similar types of ads and/or web sites using actual crosshairs. And Obama is on record as saying that when your political enemies come at you with a knife, then you pull out a gun. Who cares? Anybody with half a brain would understand that they aren't advocating political assassination. You cannot establish laws designed to eliminate the actions of the few who are unhinged or evil without destroying the rights of everyone.

Remember that those who stand to gain the most by stripping you of your rights will try to use any tragedy and distort any fact to do just that. Just keep watching the news over the next few weeks, and you'll discover who are the true enemies of our republic.

[OLDSKOOLACURA]

i hate sarah palin. i think the whole dems, reps, teas, etc is dumb. there should not be any groups because it's like they are in high school and it's their little clicks. they almost never agree with the other side.....there should be no groups in politics, then they can do work to help the people and not bitch and moan

[r3dw00d]

While I'm no fan of Sarah Palin (I'm politically very conservative, but consider her increasingly as a circus sideshow), this kind of attack is as big a threat as the shooting, because it is an attack on our Bill of Rights.

It's interesting to note that a couple of politically liberal organizations have run similar types of ads and/or web sites using actual crosshairs. And Obama is on record as saying that when your political enemies come at you with a knife, then you pull out a gun. Who cares? Anybody with half a brain would understand that they aren't advocating political assassination. You cannot establish laws designed to eliminate the actions of the few who are unhinged or evil without destroying the rights of everyone.

Remember that those who stand to gain the most by stripping you of your rights will try to use any tragedy and distort any fact to do just that. Just keep watching the news over the next few weeks, and you'll discover who are the true enemies of our republic.

Taking free speech out of it for a minute, about Sarah Palin's rhetoric: The language of violence begets violence. That is why so many are up in arms about her imagery and the way she presents her POV.

[Captain Kenpachi]

I was gonna chime in here but Elliott and Aaron expressed my point of view eloquently.. This only became an issue when the TEA party showed up. And we all know how violent the tea party is..

[awelliott]

Originally Posted by Captain Kenpachi

I was gonna chime in here but Elliott and Aaron expressed my point of view eloquently.. This only became an issue when the TEA party showed up. And we all know how violent the tea party is..

It's been going on for nearly as long as this nation has been in existence. And at times it has been much worse. For example, right before the Civil War, Preston Brooks beat the daylights out of Charles Sumner on the floor of the senate for slandering his cousin.

You're right in that it only became an issue when the TEA party showed up. Funny how the TEA Party does not advocate violence - they advocate a return to constitutional government. It's also interesting to see how the media is insinuating ties between Loughner and the TEA Party when Loughner is an atheist and two of his favorite books are "The Communist Manifesto" and "Mein Kampf". To say he doesn't fit the TEA Party profile is an extreme understatement. Could it possibly be due to the fact that the TEA Party is a threat to the status quo? Like I said, keep an eye on who tries to use this incident to strip more of your rights.

[kotetu]

Originally Posted by awelliott

It's been going on for nearly as long as this nation has been in existence. And at times it has been much worse. For example, right before the Civil War, Preston Brooks beat the daylights out of Charles Sumner on the floor of the senate for slandering his cousin.

You're right in that it only became an issue when the TEA party showed up. Funny how the TEA Party does not advocate violence - they advocate a return to constitutional government. It's also interesting to see how the media is insinuating ties between Loughner and the TEA Party when Loughner is an atheist and two of his favorite books are "The Communist Manifesto" and "Mein Kampf". To say he doesn't fit the TEA Party profile is an extreme understatement. Could it possibly be due to the fact that the TEA Party is a threat to the status quo? Like I said, keep an eye on who tries to use this incident to strip more of your rights.

Agreed. (source)

There are already tons of articles out there saying Loughner is a tea party member or is the same as one or "shares similar traits," and then goes on to list other "tea party terrorists," like Timothy McVeigh. Remember what Rahm Emanuel said? "Never let a good crisis go to waste." This is what these politicians think - not "what a tragedy," not "how could we have prevented this," not even "how can we prevent it from happening again." It's only "how can we use this to our political gain."

Never trust a politician, and in this politicized world, reporters are politicians too. You have to cut and scrape and pound the facts out of things you read, and discard ALL of the rest. 90-99% of media is meaningless commentary designed to make you angry and control the direction of your bull headed charge.