The Arizona shooting.

[gridlore]

Yes, I am aware of it. Been following the news all day. Horrific is the best word to describe the events.

But I'm not posting anything more about it until we have a lot more hard information. Right now, the alleged shooter appears to be a rather deranged libertarian based on the information released. I'm reserving judgment until we hear more from the FBI and police. Pointless uninformed speculation is worthless. Wait for the facts, mourn the deaths, and pray or offer hope for the wounded in your preferred method.

One thing, though. A lot of noise is being made over the fact that Rep. Giffords appeared in Sarah Palin's graphic targeting vulnerable Democrats. This graphic used the generic crosshairs on a national map. This is hardly new, and the Democratic National Committee used the exact same imagery in 2004 and 2006 at least. Using the crosshairs is common, and is not an explicit call to violence. The rise in violent rhetoric on the right is disturbing, but as I said, right now we have no idea what set the shooter off.

Stay calm, people. Wait for the facts.

Comments

[dragon-spirit.livejournal.com]

Stay calm, people. Wait for the facts.

I've been watching the media over the last week, as well as people's reactions to the stories contained therein, and I'd say that staying calm isn't really America's strong suit right now. That's why your words are so important. I wish you had a megaphone.

And I wish everyone in America had a warm blankie and a mug of hot chocolate as they heard you say it.

[chessdev.livejournal.com]

I normally would agree with you -- except we have a nice precedent of what happened with abortion doctors...

This isnt the first time a "target map" has been done before NOR is it the first time such a map has inspired acts of violence; NOR do I believe the Tea Party supporters were unaware of it...


So I hear what you're saying -- but in this case, there is a LOT of precedent to believe these responses are unwarranted.

[murphymom.livejournal.com]

Although I can acknowledge the logic of what you have said, I do need to point to the rhetoric that has gone along with the Palin use of crosshairs - specifically, Sharon Angle's call for "Second Amendment remedies". Plus Palin's parading her rifleperson's skills on television - even if one doesn't watch her show, that particular clip was used as a promo - doesn't strike me as innocuous.

Yes, I hope that this young man was a singular "nut-job" and not politically motivated. But I do think the right has a lot to answer for, and I don't blame anyone for feeling that the rhetoric may well have been the tipping point.

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Have looked past my own outrage and realized that *if* the shooter was influenced by that hit list, to the point that charges of um. word. had it a while back. [sorry, migraine level 9, aphasia wins]. the thing where someone influences someone else to commit a crime, that word? anyway, if there were indictments for that, the people indicted would then gain serious martyr points with their followers. A no-win thing.

*huge sigh* All I can do is pray for the families of the dead, and of the living, and for the survivors to make full recoveries, and listen, in my head, to the first section of the Brahms Requiem. In between hearing in myu head the beginning of the Faure, Requiem aeternam, dona eis Domine, et lux perpetuam luceat eis.

Undiagnosed nut...

[caerbannogbunny.livejournal.com]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_congresswoman_shot_gunman;_ylt=Apj6z6jnZGLjfa9ZJBAG0Kis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJ1a2lpb3IzBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMTA5L3VzX2NvbmdyZXNzd29tYW5fc2hvdF9ndW5tYW4EY3BvcwMzBHBvcwMxMQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNkZXRhaWxzb2ZzdXM-

Probably not taking any motivation from mainstream politics.

At least one source suggests his favorite books include the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf. Not typical (publicly acknowledged) mainstream political fair.