Yes! The Crosshairs on a Map with Gifford's name shows responsibilty
84%
No! It's just a crazy guy.
16%
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While it is iresponsible to advocate violence, the decision of the person who fires the gun is the decision that matters. Responsibility always rests with the person who makes that decision, with the person who acts, not the people who talk about politics or who advocate violence. My mom always said "would you jump off the bridge if your friend said to?" The answer is no. Thus, society must not be formed around laws that limit everyone, just because some individual might commit violence. The reason being, that no matter how many rules we have as a society, there are going to be people who ignore them.
It is time to stop with the hate talk on both sides. Jared Loughner was a registered Republican. He was unstable. Hate talk with gun references do not sit well with the unstable.
Michael Moore asked on Twitter, "If a Detroit Muslim put a map on the web w/crosshairs on 20 pols, then 1 of them got shot, where would he b sitting right now? Just asking."
If a "Detroit Muslim" or any other American born Muslim did the crosshair thing, then the FBI would entrap them, supply them with fake bombs and then arrest them.
Yes, history has shown that heated rhetoric from leaders can lead people to commit violence. Also if it had no affect why did Palin remove the map?
Hatred begets hatred. As long as there is unbridled anger, there will be those who lash out at the least provocation. The Palins in the world have realized how easy it is to tap into that well of anger and they have successfully done exactly that.
I'm really beginning to hate Republicans. They can't even accept any blame for their hateful, disgusting rhetoric after such a heinous crime was committed. I was so happy to hear the sheriff calling out our media and politicians for their part in creating our currently polarized political climate. At least liberals and those who aren't aligned on the far right can have an adult conversation about this truth.
My favorite part of this whole event is how defensive Republican/conservative talking heads have become. Before anyone even said anything about Fox, Limbaugh, or anything to the right, Fox news was taking offense to the sheriffs all to truthful statements that hateful rhetoric can be confusing to mentally unstable listeners. That doesn't mean that Fox wants Democrats to get shot, but it does mean that they need to change their rhetoric so as not to insite the crazy to do crazy things.....ie shoot a congress-person in the head and then go on a shooting rampage with multiple extended clips which would allow him to reload, reload, reload. Sounds to me like he took Palin's words to heart: "Don't retreat, RELOAD!!!"
Even though its a day late I can not Let Marco's words be the last on this subject. Of course the full weight of the responsibility rest firmly on the shoulders of the shooter. He will tried and sentenced as he should be.That is not in question. What is in question is that as a society do we as a people have a responsibility too, and do we look back and ask ourselves the tough questions. A progressives society does. The question is, do merchants of hate that advocate murder through subliminal messaging hold some kind of responsibility when a act such as this massacre occurs. And the answer is YES. And Marco if you have a two digit I.Q. It would be best if you stayed away from the bridge. The amount of hate and visceral coming from the right over the A.M.air waves is 800 times greater than the any thing positive. YES THERE IS SHARRED RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS CASE.
If Mr. Loughner is as crazy as faux news would like us to believe, then the next question should be: Why was Congresswoman Giffords his target? If he is simply deranged to the point where no accountability for his actions can be accessed from the influences that may or may not have been affecting his decision at the time of the crime, then, why this event? Would faux news then argue that his target was purely random, and that the gathering of people around the congresswoman were merely the unfortunate recipients of a raging lunitic? Was there no premeditation in his thought process? Why then, when he could not obtain wepeons rounds from the first Wal-mart, did he proceed to the next. A complete lunitic, as they suggest, would have gone over the counter and began his may-hem right there. NO! Mr. Loughner knew exactly his intent, and, was intent on bringing his plan to fruition. He fully intended to become a hero for the political mechanism which he probably so longingly wanted to be accepted by. Whether he is rational by common standards is irrelevant. This crime was a result of influence.
While he is a "crazy guy" I believe that Palin, as well as other Right Wing talkers, are responsible in some respects. Anyone on the brink of commiting an act as reprehensible as this may have been "pushed over the cliff" by the irresponsible tenor of discussion coming from these sources. Besides, if she didn't think that her website was inappropriate she wouldn't of taken it down so quickly.
Sarah Palin has defended her inflamatory rhetoric as just being spirited discourse. So in the spirit of spirited discourse, I'd like to see Sarah Palin in the crosshairs as we lock and load and then pull the trigger to take her out.
"Words have consequences" (and so do maps with crosshairs) -Gabrielle Giffiords in MSNBC interview in March 2010
Palin has continually used very aggressive, gun-related rhetoric...she criticizes but takes no blame, she makes errors and never apologizes, never corrects them...she is reality-show material
It is time for more respectful , responsible speech in the media from politicians and from pundits
While it is our constitutional right of freedom of speech there is a “responsibility” for what is being said. The continued rhetoric with the use of “any violent acts” whether implied or not has never been acceptable in a civilized nation. Sarah Palin could have easily taken the high road and confronted the issue head on with simply compassionate statements. Instead she continued to ratchet up the rhetoric once more, in her response on facebook.
Very well put!
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/25670012-47/eugen...
Take the time to read this editorial printed in the Eugene Register Guard today. The writer is the Associate professor of communication for the Northwest Christian University. I think it adds to Thom's arguments made the past few days.