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I'm not saying specifically Sarah Palin.............I'm including her contributions with a large number of people who are very loud and vocal in terms of violent language and imagery........yet she does share some of the responsibility (as do THEY) because she's made those kinds of statements in many public venues. Even though the man hasn't so far said anything about Palin, that doesn't mean that he didn't "hear" her as part of the many voices who seem to encourage violent language and actions to get attention. The man could have just believed that his derranged thinking had been validated by many of the voices he hear talking in the political arena.
I do, to a point, agree...except that I also think that this kid was going to kill someone somewhere regardless of rhetoric. I think he really is that messed up.
There are posters in my own state forum that are literally screaming for Palin's head over this and for the first time I understand the revulsion that some here have for "liberal lunacy".
It would seem that this kid's focus on Gifford began before Palin ever left Alaska.
A classmate of the man accused of shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords this morning describes him as "left wing" and a "pot head" in a series of posts on Twitter this afternoon.
The panel discussion on Meet the Press this morning was very interesting. It's still available online. A big point that was made was that BOTH sides, inside and outside of Congress need to civilize the tone of the public discourse... that the polarization and meanspiritedness that is all over the media needs to stop, for any number of reasons but for one, because it gives disturbed individuals like the shooter here more justification, and perhaps motivation, for their unbalanced actions. There was an interesting quote from a Bill Clinton speech on the anniversary of Oklahoma City that spoke to this issue well:
"What we learned from Oklahoma City is, not that we should gag each other or that we should reduce our passion for the positions we hold, but that the words we use really do matter because there are--there's this vast echo chamber, and they go across space and they fall on the serious and the delirious alike. They fall on the connected and the unhinged alike."
Last edited by observer53; 01-09-2011 at 04:55 PM..
So O's violent rhetoric is not 'grouped' with your opinions? Why shy away from using his name? Can't admit that? Just say O, it can't hurt you. We all know the HSA, the FBI, the CIA, and the NSA has us ALL here tagged as subversive terrorists. Simply omitting O from your 'group' won't save you from the agencies listed above.
The panel discussion on Meet the Press this morning was very interesting. It's still available online. A big point that was made was that BOTH sides, inside and outside of Congress, need to civilize the tone of the public discourse... that the polarization and meanspiritedness that is all over the media needs to stop, for any number of reasons but for one, because it gives disturbed individuals like the shooter here more justification, and perhaps motivation, for their unbalanced actions. There was an interesting quote from a Bill Clinton speech on the anniversary of Oklahoma City that spoke to this issue well:
What we learned from Oklahoma City is, not that we should gag each other or that we should reduce our passion for the positions we hold, but that the words we use really do matter because there are--there's this vast echo chamber, and they go across space and they fall on the serious and the delirious alike. They fall on the connected and the unhinged alike.
It is a shame that it takes a tragedy to get people tone down the trash talk.
Last edited by observer53; 01-09-2011 at 04:57 PM..
Reason: to reflect the editing of the post quoted
The panel discussion on Meet the Press this morning was very interesting. It's still available online. A big point that was made was that BOTH sides, inside and outside of Congress, need to civilize the tone of the public discourse... that the polarization and meanspiritedness that is all over the media needs to stop, for any number of reasons but for one, because it gives disturbed individuals like the shooter here more justification, and perhaps motivation, for their unbalanced actions. There was an interesting quote from a Bill Clinton speech on the anniversary of Oklahoma City that spoke to this issue well:
"What we learned from Oklahoma City is, not that we should gag each other or that we should reduce our passion for the positions we hold, but that the words we use really do matter because there are--there's this vast echo chamber, and they go across space and they fall on the serious and the delirious alike. They fall on the connected and the unhinged alike".
I don't think the rhetoric is any worse today than at any other point in my live, and I am not a kid. Also there is no evidence that this guy was motivated by any of that. It is equally likely that the issue with her was personal. It is being reported that he attended a rally for her in 2007 and became upset when she didn't understand a rambling question he asked.
Last edited by observer53; 01-09-2011 at 05:10 PM..
Reason: to reflect the editing of the post quoted
There is so much passion that this was or was not a political motivated action. However, I ask this...can you really and truly find a political motive in his rantings on youtube, the only direct evidence available to us? After the VA Tech shootings, as a collective group, we were all appalled at learning that an obviously mentally disturbed individual was not followed up for care. I wonder if the conversation will turn to this same line in the near future with this case. Where was his family after being removed from Pima Community College? I have felt, and still feel, that we witnessed the actions of a very disturbed young man.
I don't think the rhetoric is any worse today than at any other point in my live, and I am not a kid. Also there is no evidence that this guy was motivated by any of that. It is equally likely that the issue with her was personal. It is being reported that he attended a rally for her in 2007 and became upset when she didn't understand a rambling question he asked.
I'm not referring to this case specifically, and neither were the panelists. Even if what they spoke of did not lead him specifically to this unspeakable act, we don't know, and may never know, what effect it had on his whole way of thinking over the last few years, particularly if he was already having psychological issues.
If you think the rhetoric in this 24 hour news environment and talk radio everywhere is the same as at any other point in your life, (and you really aren't a kid) well, we will just have to respectfully disagree on that.
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