different standards

[mellowtigger]

In case you haven't yet heard the news, a U.S. Representative was shot in the head at a public event today. Miraculously, she has so far survived the assault, although at least 6 other people have died, with many more wounded. The culprit is already in custody and asserting 5th Amendment rights ("No person... shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself...") , so I assume that means he is not cooperating with investigators trying to identify his motive.

Authorities are searching for another person who assisted the man by driving him to the scene. Early on, authorities on television said they were checking with all Representatives to make sure they were safe and that this incident was not part of a coordinated effort. Sad, but that's how far America has fallen already. When people talk for long enough about overthrowing their duly elected government, eventually the sick reality of what it means will seep in: overthrow means mass murder.

I'm disappointed that Prensa Latina news has no mention of this important story at all.  It did make headline news at the BBC, Times of India, and even Al Jazeera (although they chose a photo of Mrs. Giffords with a man in U.S. military uniform).  A British reporter is already lamenting how politicized this event has become in America, but that's exactly where I'm taking my comments too. I'm pessimistic enough to assume this young man was motivated by Tea Party rhetoric. That he was apparently also batshit crazy does not reduce my pessimism in the least.

You see, I'm going to offer views of two different female politicians in the landscape of America's national government.  One is Sarah Palin, previously a nominee for Vice President, presumably running for President in 2012.  The other is Gabrielle Giffords, the U.S. Representative who was shot in the head today while holding a public discussion at one of her local grocery stores.

U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS TO HOST FIRST "CONGRESS ON YOUR CORNER" OF THE YEAR ON SATURDAYJanuary 7, 2011 TUCSON - U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will host her first "Congress on Your Corner" of the year on Saturday, Jan. 8 at a supermarket in northwest Tucson. "Congress on Your Corner" allows residents of Arizona's 8th Congressional District to meet their congresswoman one-on-one and discuss with her any issue, concern or problem involving the federal government. Giffords has hosted numerous "Congress on Your Corner" events since taking office in January 2007. As in the past, the congresswoman's staff will be available to assist constituents. Previous "Congress on Your Corner" events in Tucson, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Sierra Vista, and Douglas have attracted between 75 and 150 people. For the media, "Congress on Your Corner" is an excellent opportunity to view the congresswoman interacting with constituents or ask questions about any topic. This Saturday's "Congress Your Corner" comes at the conclusion of the first week of the 112th Congress. Giffords took the oath of office for a third term on Wednesday and on Thursday she participated in a reading of the U.S. Constitution on the floor of the House. Among the congresswoman's first official acts this week was a vote for Speaker of the House and theintroduction of legislation to cut congressional salaries by 5 percent. Giffords was interviewed about her bill this morning on Fox news. WHAT: "Congress on Your Corner" with U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords WHEN: 10-11:30 a.m., Saturday, January 8, 2011 WHERE: Safeway, 7110 N. Oracle Road (southeast corner of Oracle and Ina)

Notice that one of Sarah Palin's targets in gun site crosshairs is Gabrielle Giffords, the woman who was shot today.

I wanted to cheer Sheriff Clarence Dupnik when I saw him on CNN television saying these words to our nation:

When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And, unfortunately, Arizona I think has become sort of the capital. We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.

And later, he reportedly added:

Let me just say one thing, because people tend to poo-poo this business about all the vitriol that we hear inflaming the American public by people who make a living off of doing that. That may be free speech. But it's not without consequences.

That's what I've been warning all along.  Even if you're not pulling the trigger, you're providing the rationale and urgency.  Someone with less self-restraint eventually listens to your plea.

Comments

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

I saw the press conference as it ran live on MSNBC, and Sheriff Dupnik did indeed make the second remark, or something very close to that (I don't recall the absolutely exact phrasing). I was surprised - but gratified - to see someone in his position pointing this out. Keith Olbermann later made one of his Special Comments on the subject and committed to avoiding certain kinds of violent rhetoric; I'm cynical enough to think that the people who could actually have been part of stoking this atrocity won't own their words and will be backpedaling and handwaving madly.

[pi3832.livejournal.com]

"This is just a typical example of the left-wing media trying to blame us for the actions of some random loony. It's not my fault that there are crazy people in the world!"

[mellowtigger]

*agree* Or, in the wording I chose a few months ago:

"I didn't tell them to kill. I just gave them a framework to justify killing. They came to their own conclusions."

[kauko.livejournal.com]

I wish I could say that today's events were shocking but given just how much thinly veiled violent rhetoric conservatives were spewing prior to this recent election I'm just not surprised at all. They can talk about taking their country back, or raise the specter of revolution, suggest 'second amendment remedies' to them not winning elections etc and then have the nerve to act shocked when someone commits an actual act of violence against people they were specifically targeting? It's just like all of the abortion providers who have been murdered. When conservatives scream that abortion is murder, compare it to the Nazi Holocaust and throw religion into the mix they should not be surprised when someone takes that seriously can becomes violent. The same logic applies to today.

[mellowtigger]

I like comment #14:

"An Imam issues an proclamation and nutjobs blow themselves up.
Palin and the far right declare war on moderate politics and a nutjob shoots a Congresswoman and kills 5 others.
What is the essential difference?"

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2011/01/febrile_politics_of_giffords_s.html#P104937206

Comment #22 is also important. I've never heard of the DLC before, so I don't know what relation it has to the DNC (Democratic National Committee). Granted, they targeted regions rather than people, and the text talks about winning with candidates rather than defeating opposing candidates, but this imagery is also wrong and appears to come from a liberal faction.



p.s. Oh, and now I find reference to a much more recent photograph from the DCCC. I can't find an original source, so I'm not going to post it. During the last 2 years, I've seen too many conservative news stories that ended up being either misleading or completely made up. Here is their link that includes photographs though. It does target individuals (which is an awful idea).
http://www.verumserum.com/?p=13647

[kauko.livejournal.com]

I've seen that map from the Democratic side and, while I certainly don't think that either side should use such imagery, I don't agree with those who have used this map as proof that the rhetoric is equal on both sides. This isn't just about Sarah Palin's map. The entire Tea Party movement has be guilty of using violent rhetoric when speaking against the government since the movement took off in 2009. How many times have we seen images of Tea Party event with people holding signs/ wearing shirt that have the famous Thomas Jefferson quote:

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Or Sharon Angle's notorious statement:

"What is a little bit disconcerting and concerning is the inability for sporting goods stores to keep ammunition in stock ... That tells me the nation is arming. What are they arming for if it isn't that they are so distrustful of their government? They're afraid they'll have to fight for their liberty in more Second Amendment kinds of ways?"

[nebula31.livejournal.com]

Exactly.