Wild West Politics?

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by smoothmoniker

Is the implication here that Palin intended this as an outcome? Are you suggesting that, absent the crosshair map, the shooter would have decided to write a sternly-worded letter to the editor instead?

Please, spell this out for me. How is there ANY moral responsibility on Sarah Palin for this incident? Vaguely gesturing at a map with crosshairs won't do, explain it to me like I'm an idiot.

Because, if you can't, then you're endorsing the worst kind of idiotic brainless hysteria.

SM, of course there is no direct, explicit connection between SP and anything else,
including whatever motivations might be associated with this shooting event.
At this point we still have not heard anything from the authorities about his motivations.
Personally, I'm not yet willing to guess what motivated this fellow.

But there is something to be said for the responsibilities of leadership,
both right/left, liberal/conservative,... or whatever,
to NOT bring the bugs out of the woodwork.

Over the past 2 years, SP has managed to do this.
Did she intend there to eventually be a shooting ? Almost certainly not.
Did she intend to stir up crowds ? Of course.
But could some event like this one or another be expected ? Some people do think so.
It's ironic that you and I just tonight posted about an important song
devoted to what happened when some leaders pushed out too far.

But this shooting does show that words do matter.
Everyone wants a reason or someone to blame, and it was predictable that SP
would be discussed based on her leadership style in campaigning words and ads.
Of course we do not know SP's motivations or whether she, herself,
feels any moral responsibility derived from her earlier campaigns.

[smoothmoniker]

This is absurd in the extreme. Should we blame J.D. Salinger for what a handful of nut-jobs did after reading his work?

The rhetoric of politics as war is at least as old as Pericles, and it has been used by every party, in every election, in every country in the world. This time, there happened to be a graphic.

Should politics be more civil? Maybe, although it never has been. But that's not what this discussion is about. That is a red herring. This is about one radical violent person who did something abhorrent, and to make political hay out of it is sickening.

[Pico and ME]

The fact that you aren't seeing it and actually fighting it so hard is pretty sickening, SM. In fact its really scary. AND you are actually poo-pooing violent right-wing rhetoric as simply par for the course. I think it got really out hand these last two elections.

[xoxoxoBruce]

It's kind of early to determine if the shooter's motives were political or not.
But that doesn't keep me from thinking Palin's rhetoric is wrong.

One thing I do know, Lamplighters saying it could have been a simple robbery gone wrong, is the best laugh I've had in a week.

[Lamplighter]

Enjoy

[Griff]

I was thinking about what a left wing proxy for the map would be. It is imperfect but the omnipresent Che t-shirt carries the same implied message of violence if things don't go "our" way. I haven't seen leadership wear the things though. I don't think we should limit speech and one positive of that is the Democrats can now beat the Republicans over the head with their own stupid graphic. It remains to be seen if the Dems will "wave the bloody shirt" or try to ease the tension.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by smoothmoniker

...explain it to me like I'm an idiot.

You're welcome.

Sarah Palin is a brunette Ann Coulter.

does that help?

[Undertoad]

I was thinking about what a left wing proxy for the map would be.

It will turn out the lad is paranoid schizophrenic.

[Undertoad]

Both SP and Jesse Kelly have just scrubbed this stuff from their websites.

And daily Kos removed this:



It will turn out the lad is paranoid schizophrenic.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Pico and ME

The fact that you aren't seeing it and actually fighting it so hard is pretty sickening, SM. In fact its really scary. AND you are actually poo-pooing violent right-wing rhetoric as simply par for the course. I think it got really out hand these last two elections.

That is a ridiculous notion. As Griff rightly pointed out do we blame anarchists uprisings and violence during the G-8 meetings and around the world on his writings? Left-wing rhetoric gets a pass?

Stop blaming the politicians like Palin and Bush for everything that is screwed up in our nation and how individuals decide to act when becoming violent. Sort of like blaming the US government and our actions in the world for 9/11.

[Trilby]

all this reminds me of Terry Gilliam's film The Fisher King.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Pico and ME

Both SP and Jesse Kelly have just scrubbed this stuff from their websites.

Incorrect. According to a source on CNN this am, The Dept. of Homeland Security did that.

Furthermore he was, according to a friend on CNN, a radical LEFT Wing extremist.
She also said that he had become more unstable over the last few years.

This all matters naught. Political extremists have and always will exists. Some who believe everything on the "other team" as being horrible and not worthy of anything simply because they are on the "other team" have existed since the beginning of politics.
There are many here who believe such rhetoric. Look at yourselves first. SP is a guilty in this as you or I - NOT AT ALL.
I don not like the woman at all and think she is completely unfit to lead anything more than a girl scout troop, if that, but to blame her for the actions of this idiot is unconscionable. You should be ashamed.

I'm embarrassed for those of you who saw this as nothing more than another chance to attack those who's ideals you differ with.

Wolf, EXCELLENT job putting this in Current Events. That's what this is. This kid is severely mentally unstable and THAT is what caused this tragedy.

[tw]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Stop blaming the politicians like Palin and Bush for everything that is screwed up in our nation

It really is hard not to. Those types have created so many problems and then openly encourage hate.

A trend is obvious. Unstable people are encouraged to own automatic guns with extra large clips. Multiple death massacres are now increasing because an underlying attitude common in Congress, on the radio (Limbaugh), and openly encouraged even by extremists inspiring the most easily deceived.

Why did Christine O’Donnell set new records for campaign contributions? What stable person would contribute so much money to a witch? She even advocates more religion in government (did not even know the 1st amendment to the Constitution). Hate inspires these supporters who know only due to emotions.

We should blame Muslims for a mosque on sacred ground in Manhattan next to whore houses and betting parlors? Blame immigrants for our less educated population. Blame evil Tarp on Obama when George Jr created it. Blame ... well who do we blame next month? Aliens? All examples of hate. Too many people have voices in their heads rather than facts. And those voices listen to messages of hate. Including package bombs in Washington and bombing government buildings in Oklahoma. Hate always works to promote wacko extremism. Nutjobs simply lead the charge. A precursor to what can get worse.

This gunning will only encourage more to think extremist. To hear hate. Knowledge inspired by emotion. Limbaugh, Hannity, etc are on the radio promoting mockery and hate daily. Likud also called for the assassination of Rabin to destroy the Oslo Accords. And so some nutjob did what they wanted.

What do we expect from the least stable among us? He did exactly what public extremism and ignorance encourages. Complete with automatic weapons that we should all have. Hate says we should all have even more destructive weapons. Nutjobs are the first to follow these encouragements. They are why extremism works.

Its not about left verse right wing. That is extremists promoting their agenda. It is extremist anti-Americans verse patriotic moderates. Which is why America requires every citizen to be educated. So that anti-Americans called extremists (and their nutjob activists) will be less in numbers.

[classicman]

Additionally Smoothmoniker, Bruce and UT are spot on - as usual.

[Undertoad]

Those types have created so many problems

well who do we blame next month?

The dog has caught its own tail -- and is now eating it.