Congresswoman shot in Arizona
So, I was a work when just a little blurb of this came on the tv. Then, I got home and got the full story. I can't help but think that if there wasn't so much amped up rhetoric that something like this wouldn't have happened. A federal judge and a child were among those killed and several more were injured and killed.
There was a poll a few months ago before the election that said something around 6 in 10 Americans are angry with government and that right then struck me as not right. We live in a country where we freely elect who runs our government(except of course the Supreme Court, which is another matter, I guess) . They are not tyrants or dictators and the implication that they are is just wrong. Yes, there certainly are corrupt politicians, and Ms. Giffords was apparently not, but thats why we get the right to elect them out of office every few years.
I just feel that there is so much misinformation and so much rhetoric that borders on hate speech out there that it's not unreasonable to think something like this could very well happen again. Sometimes I really think this country is going down the toilet, but not because of spending, not because of taxes, not entirely because of corrupt politicians, but because of ignorance on the part of the voting and non voting public.
There are people pushing dangerous social agendas and I feel this is especially bad when we are in a bad economic state when people aren't really paying attention to these matters because they're broke and vote for whoever sounds most convincing.
Anyway to end my rant, I just wonder who's next and if anyone in public office will make any attempt to bring the country together instead of using divide and conquer as their key to power.
I don't know. I think politics have always been divisive. Heck, politicians used to have duals (remember Aaron Burr?). I think now, information is more easy to disseminate and obtain, so basically more whackjobs can have a voice. Unleash that on someone who is already mentally unstable, and you have a terrible result.
Then again, I'm not really of the opinion that playing violent video games as a child causes them to grow into violent adults.
Personally, I thinkthe shooter's just a grade-A whackaloon.
Yes, rhetoric and hate speech DO create a climate where violence is an accepted reaction or way to communicate a political ideaology.
Beck and Palin called themselves, "progressive hunters'; Palin uses words like "reload" to deal with liberals; Ann Coulter calls for the elimination of "liberals" Sharon Angle advocates taking back the government by force; Palin widely distributes a poster with Giffords district in CROSSHAIRS... saying these "are the targets!!! Can anyone out there with half a brain say that this kind of rhetoric, and the hundreds of other examples that have poisoned the conversation for the past few years, are not going to push someone who is mentally unstable over the edge?!
I think in a day and age where we have internet and anyone with an opinion can go online, form websites and spout out their ideas that someone unhinged is bound to stumble upon rumors, fiction and conspiracy theories and think its fact. And the fact that we have ENTERTAINERS giving OPINION of news and twisting in their own ideas that someone could think these things are true and want to use a gun to "solve" these supposed threats to values.
Oh and the fact that this mentally unsound person was able to get a gun and walk around with it WITHOUT a permit is maybe not a good idea. Guess Arizona is the state of bad ideas..
I agree with led except for the fact that people aren't "stumbling upon rumors". The violent rhetoric is soaking the airwaves. More Americans get their news from the Fox network which dispenses lies and anti government rhetoric like crazy. Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck have huge audiences and they are advocating violence and bloodshed. On "The View", Whoopi made a great point in a discussion on this topic MONTHS before this current tragedy occurred. She said, notice that the people who are inciting others to act on their hatred and fears and bigotry, are not doing it themselves! They won't be the ones to go to jail. Their feeble minded followers will have their sorry asses hauled off to prison, and rightfully so. But those who incited them are complicit and should be penalized also.
Let's not forget good ol' Sharron Angle and her idea of "2nd Amendment remedies". Now Sarah Palin is backtracking on her crosshairs map from last years' election, damn I hope this is the beginning of the nail in her figurative coffin.