Saturday, January 08, 2011

For the Record

This is the map of the 20 targeted members of Congress on the Palin website cited below. Gabrielle Giffords was one of the three that are "bulls-eyed" in Arizona.

Notice the heading to the page: "We've dianosed the problem... Help us prescribe the solution."

Jeebus.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, seems the shooter chose the second amendment solution.

Her father Spencer Giffords, 75, was rushing to the hospital when asked if his 40-year-old daughter had any enemies."Yeah," he told The Post. "The whole tea party."

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/ariz_congresswoman_shot_in_head_YFTvsurRHy5OWGSRKnuK8J#ixzz1ATlnxzXN

oatz said...

Oops jumped the gun again nony, Please never let the facts get in the way of a good bashing of the Tea Party, of course Rhamm did say never let a good crisis go to waste.

Mike D. said...

Anonymous,

Keep paying attention. This shooter does not appear to have any links to any group. Or don't. Whatever makes you happy.

Brushfire said...

Joyce Kaufman,the right-wing radio host, became notorious when speaking at a July 4th rally, she said " If ballots don't work, bullets will."
And let's remember the terrorist who shot up a Unitarian Universalist church in Tennessee, during a children's play. He was also inspired by right-wing rhetoric.
What is it about right-wing terrorists who like to target children?

BikerBard said...

My wife's reaction regarding Palin and her posting:
"She's absolutely sick!"

I agree!

Leftists are Loonies said...

Bikerbard, JW, Brushfire and anyone else who wants to blame Palin for this: you are bigger idiots and buffoons than anyone you rant against. You are a joke, and a pathetic one at that.

Most of the hate I ever read and hear comes from leftists like yourselves. And I mean 90%+.

Unknown said...

You're right, Leftists are Loonies. Palin putting gun targets on human beings could not possibly have caused this. This was done by just a regular right-wing nut, not one of those stupid Palin right-wing nuts. Besides, we all know if Giffords, the judge, that child, and everyone else there had been packing heat, this never would have happened. They could have defended themselves.

amjp said...

To all of you who are criticizing those of us who place some responsibility on S. Palin. Here is the point, one which was articulated very well by Pima County Sheriff Dupnik in his remarks tonight: Irresponsible, thoughtless, hate-filled speech can have a profound influence on mentally disturbed people, such as the Jared Lee Loughner. It is not being partisan to point that out.

The kind of vitriolic, careless rhetoric which has become so common in recent years, and which is exemplified by people like Beck and Palin is bound to have an effect, even if it is not the one they intend. To me, that is perfectly clear.

My problem with Palin is not her politics, but her loose-lipped ranting. She seems to have no control over her mouth, probably because she has so little in her head behind it. Mike D., we may disagree about many things political, but you clearly are not stupid. I can't say the same about S.P.

Frank said...

I don't blame just Palin. I blame the fired up rhetoric of all the Tea Party. Those who consider themselves moderate members of the Tea Party should rise up and insist that rhetoric that calls for second amendment remedies, etc. be stopped. Words have consequences.

Sarah Palin and the Tea Party fanatics rallied their supporters with violent rhetoric and images. I agree with Pima County Sheriff Dupnik that the hate and violent talk contribute to an atmosphere that promotes violence being acted out.

Anyone who cannot see that this escalation in hate speech over the past few years has contributed to violent behavior is either lying or dumb.

I mean, we've been watching the pictures and reading the stories of people carrying guns to political rallies, and no one says a word about how horrendous this is.

Leftists are Loonies said...

amjp & robert - you are way, way out of your mind to link the shooting to Sarah Palin and/or the Tea Party. It is ridiculous, complete and utter nonsense. Palin never told anyone - or even implied - that someone should shoot another person. As I said before, most of the hate speech comes from leftists such as those ones on this website and idiots like Keith Olbermann and Ed Schultz, and basically anyone else on MSNBC. I'll bet if this had been a republican who had been shot, JW would have ignored it or said he/she had it coming and rejoiced.

Frank said...

I watch Olbermann and Schultz, and I have never seen either superimpose a gun sight over a Congressional district nor say anything remotely related to "second amendment remedies." Perhaps Loonies can point us all to some language stated by either of these two s/he considers calling for or encouraging violence.

This sort of crap even surfaced here locally duing the last election with mailers that illustrated, for example, Cullie Tarleton in a sombraro with a darkened face. The Tea Party should be ashamed.

The Tea Party insists on accountability for everyone except itself. What a joke.

amjp said...

Lefties are Loonies: I shouldn't be writing this. Obviously, there is little point in arguing with you since clearly you do not understand what I and Frank are saying. Perhaps you, like S.P. are missing something behind your mouth also.

Once again; then I'll stop: THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS, LEFT OR RIGHT!! We're not saying that Palin had any direct role in this tragedy. What we're pointing out is something that many knowledgeable people know, namely, that merely putting out in the public something like S.P.'s hit list can encourage real loonies to take action. There have been several instances where something like this has occurred. Ask Mark Potok.

As Sheriff Dupnik said, the language used, as well as its tone, can be influential and in unintended ways. If possible, think about this before responding with just another knee-jerk reaction. You might, possibly, learn something.

leftists are loonies said...

amjp - you can stop your preaching right now, and you're right, you probably shouldn't have written it. Apparently you think your education puts you on some pedestal and apparently you believe I have none. I certainly will not spout my education here, but it's plenty enough to argue with any one of you people.

There is ZERO - let me repeat - ZERO - evidence that even remotely links the shooting to anything Sarah Palin or the Tea Party has said or written. And Brushfire, you are incorrect, Olbermann & Schultz do nothing but spread hatred for conservatives and republicans - and they get time on national TV and in primetime to do so. You are just blind to it because you laugh and agree.

You can continue to live in your little cocoon of leftist rhetoric, but you're missing way more than you understand.

amjp said...

I just received this information in an email:

"A U.S. Department of Homeland Security memo reportedly notes that Gabriel Giffords is Jewish in describing the motives of the Arizona congresswoman's alleged assailant.

The memo, obtained by Fox News Channel, says that Jared Lee Loughner mentioned American Renaissance, an extremist anti-immigrant group, in some of his own postings.

The group's ideology is anti-government, anti-immigration, anti-ZOG (Zionist Occupational Government), anti-Semitic," says the memo sent to law enforcement, which also notes that Giffords, a Democrat, was the first Jewish congresswoman from Arizona."

No, of course Sarah Palin isn't a member of American Renaissance, not did she promote these tragic deaths. However, her actions and words, and those of others equally irresponsible, are just the kinds of things that appeal to the creeps in such groups. I suspected that Jared L. L. might have connections with such hate gangs, which use what they can to justify their actions. As I said above, ask Mark Potok (of the SPLC). And just look at some of their websites.

Mike D. said...

amjp,

I am both sickened and entertained by the political circus that sits before us. I am sickened that people had to die to create this charade, but the resulting theater is wickedly entertaining.

I have been watching both this site and the WataugaRepubs blog. It is amazing to watch the ebb and flow, as contributors extend their tentacles across the web, seeking out writing that affirms their conviction that this murderer belongs to the other camp while denying that it's what they are doing.

The lines of logical reasoning have had to become so tight, because try as they might, both sides are having a really tough time placing this shooter in the enemy camp. It would have been so much easier for the left, had this murderer identified himself as a true-blooded member of the Tea Party, but there does not seem to be any such link, so the dedicated left must toe a razor fine line of reasoning that although he is not in any way affiliated with the movement, and perhaps even a self-avowed leftist, his violence was green-lighted by those with whom he disagrees.

On the other side, we have conservatives, carefully examining the shooter's reading list, trying to make him into a radical, fist-in-the-air, bandana-faced, solidarity driven communist. Sadly, those conservatives are bluntly snubbed by the fact that the shooter had "We the Living", by Ayn Rand, in his list of favorite books, and he appears to have been affiliated, on some level, with a white power group.

But just watching the logical dance on both sides of the devoutly partisan blogosphere is providing me with many hours of entertainment.

"Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you" - Stealers Wheel

amjp said...

Interesting statement, Mike. I'm just uncomfortable with your use of the word "entertaining." My choice would have been something more like "disturbing" or "depressing."

I just found this comment that Bill Clinton made on the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing:

"As we exercise the right to advocate our views, and as we animate our supporters, we must all assume responsibility for our words and actions before they enter a vast echo chamber and reach those both serious and delirious, connected and unhinged."