That's exceptional, America: Printed crosshairs bad, but actual Glocks OK
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That's exceptional, America: Printed crosshairs bad, but actual Glocks OK
In my fair-and-balanced article today on hateful political rhetoric and the mass murder in Tucson, I noted that Philadelphia Rep. Bob Brady is proposing a law that would make it a crime to use certain violent imagery against members of Congress -- an idea that he acknowledges is inspired by Sarah Palin's infamous 2010 map that targeted Saturday's assassination-attempt victim Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, and others, with the image of crosshairs.
I'd like to go deeper on that at some future point, but let's just say for now that Brady's idea is wrong-headed and goes way too far. If he was truly offended by Sarah Palin's actions -- as he probably was -- then he had the remarkable power as a U.S. congressman to go on national TV and condemn her. The best remedy for hate speech is to drown it out with good speech. We don't need no stinkin' law.
But you do have to wonder about a nation that considers laws and other harsh measures against political rhetoric, but at this point is scared (bleep)less about even talking about whether we should even begin a conversation about the legality of purchasing the actual devices that kill or maim our fellow human beings.
I thought Gail Collins of the New York Times nailed this today:
Today, the amazing thing about the reaction to the Giffords shooting is that virtually all the discussion about how to prevent a recurrence has been focusing on improving the tone of our political discourse. That would certainly be great. But you do not hear much about the fact that Jared Loughner came to Giffords’s sweet gathering with a semiautomatic weapon that he was able to buy legally because the law restricting their sale expired in 2004 and Congress did not have the guts to face up to the National Rifle Association and extend it.
If Loughner had gone to the Safeway carrying a regular pistol, the kind most Americans think of when they think of the right to bear arms, Giffords would probably still have been shot and we would still be having that conversation about whether it was a sane idea to put her Congressional district in the cross hairs of a rifle on the Internet.
But we might not have lost a federal judge, a 76-year-old church volunteer, two elderly women, Giffords’s 30-year-old constituent services director and a 9-year-old girl who had recently been elected to the student council at her school and went to the event because she wanted to see how democracy worked.
Adds Peter Goodman on the Huffington Post:
We Americans have developed an agreed-upon social protocol for how to react to the gun-related horrors that regularly capture the news pages. Journalists spring into action with a standard-issue set of questions: What happened? Who did it? What made him snap? Should someone have known? Yet this whole exercise of seeking to identify the unique strain of madness at work seems more about enabling false comfort then fully elucidating how we got here, a sideshow distracting us from the hard work that would be required to take on the gun lobby and limit access to the only part of the narrative that weighs in as a hard, cold fact: the weapon.
Don't despair, you gun lovers who read this. One of the remarkable stories of our time is that even as deadly rampages like the one in Tucson increase, support for gun control among Americans steadily drops, and currently is at a historical low. How we got to this bizarre moment in time is something that will hopefully be disected and understood in the months and years to come.
Comments (86)
RG...what does it mean? Let's walk slowly through this,OK? When you use language that is intemperate, you should at least have the grapes to stand up and take responsibility for those words when the occasion arises. To deny, as Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity et al have done, that it is an absolute lie to connect the attempted assassination of Giffords to the violence of their words is disingenuous. They assert that it is too early to know what is true but they know it has nothing to do with their rhetoric. Are you still with me? It's too early to know the truth but it's not too early to know it has nothing to do with the things they say. How dumb does a person have to be to believe such a thing? Obviously a strong indicator of how dumb they must be is how often they repeat that BS. To gauge that level of stupidity, go back and read the comments here that mimic the idiocy of Beck and the rest of those who believe as they do. Whether or not you include yourself in that group will be determined by you.— BigDaddy3150- you're either: (a) asserting a connection between the "rhetoric" and the shooting, which based on evidence to date would be what we call a vicious lie;...A vicious lie, eh? So says the WSJ. Well, when John Ashcroft warned Americans not to criticize Bush after 9/11, what was his argument? That speaking the truth would impair our ability to defend this nation? Wasn't he drawing a connection between criticism and possible action? I suppose the WSJ had no opinion then, right? The WSJ does not enjoy the stature it once held; not since it became the bagman for the mob on the right. Not since John Derbyshire claimed that we should kill Chelsea Clinton so she couldn't enter politics. But since no one shot Chelsea Clinton, then the rhetoric of the right had no consequences. Well, fools, it has consequences now! And it was quite predictable that you would whine like little girls with skinned knees at having to admit that your foolish rhetoric might inspire the deranged among us who buy into Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck and Ann Coulter. You all enjoy talking tough but when it comes time for accountability, you lose control of your bowels for all to see. Don't kid yourselves, everyone here can see how cowardly you are by ducking responsibility for the violence of your rhetoric. But that is what you do best, isn't it? Attack others but deny you are ever wrong. You are as intelligent as you are relevant which is to say not very. And don't worry, ladies, no one will take your precious weapons from you. God forbid.— BigDaddy3150
- You guys are still pushign this meme? It seems you are actually upset, not at the deaths, but that you can't tie the incident to your political opponents.
"Don't kid yourselves, everyone here can see how cowardly you are by ducking responsibility for the violence of your rhetoric." The volence of your rhetoric? What does this even mean? Does rhetoric cause mental illness?— RG - They made their beds, now they have insomnia? The actions of Loughner may have nothing to do with their politics, but on its face it's symmetrical to the fantasies their rhetoric has implied. It is an attempted political assassination by virtue of the target, and by a perp who has ranted irrationally against the "government". It employed a controversial firearm. The target was also a specific political target of the Tea Party, whom they failed to unseat despite the gun imagery. They have to look in the mirror and ask themselves, what were we thinking? The lesson is obvious. Loughner is why you don't use violent rhetoric, because you look guilty in the wake of it. Period.
Swiftie: The evidence strongly suggests that this madman was primarily anti-government. I do not that that being anti-government could possibly be thought as left-wing. He may not have had any clear idea why he was anti-government, but then neither to the Tea Party folk as far as I can tell. He may not have had any clear ideas at all, at least as far as what has been revealed so far.
Comment removed.- Batty, some free legal advice - what you post here could someday make you a "person of interest".
- The problem with a Glock loaded with a 30-bullet cartridge is that you can do more damage quicker than you could with two Glocks loaded with with10-bullet cartridges each (and certainly faster than three 10-bullet Glocks). I say go back to the pre-2004 law. It won't stop madness, but it can mitigate the results. And there is no need outside of war for a Glock with a 30-bullet cartridge (and that would not even be a good war weapon). You don't need it for hunting or target shooting; the only purpose is to kill as many humans as possible in a short time.
- Comment removed.
- A quote from Giffords: I'd call it classy and dignified.
I wonder if RG thinks Giffords is a "scumbag."
--snip--
“I think it’s important for all leaders, not just leaders of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party … community leaders, figures in our community to say, ‘Look, we can’t stand for this.’ I mean, this is a situation where people really need to realize that the rhetoric, and firing people up, and even things … For example, we’re on Sarah Palin’s targeted list, but the thing is, the way she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gunsight over our district. And when people do that, they’ve gotta realize there’s consequences to that action.”
--snip--— Talking point sleuth - ===]]] What exactly is the protocol for reporting an individual who is showing signs of mental illness and mixing it with delusional ramblings and extremist political rhetoric? [[[===
Don't worry. I'm sure that officials are already keeping a close eye on bile.atkins.— Talking point sleuth - ===]]] I'm basically done commenting on this horrible tragedy [[[===
What? You're finished before calling sloboat, those Tea Party leaders, and all those rightwing pundits "scumbags" for politicizing the shooting?
I'm shocked.— Talking point sleuth - Rightwing violence?
What rightwing violence?
Oh, that righwing violence.
http://www.csgv.org/issues-and-campaigns/guns-democracy-and-freedom/insurrection-timeline— Talking point sleuth 
What exactly is the protocol for reporting an individual who is showing signs of mental illness and mixing it with delusional ramblings and extremist political rhetoric?— Mr. Smith- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Glad to see that you agree, RG, that sloboat and the Tea Partier leaders calling the guy a leftist are "scumbags."
I guess you are at least occasionally capable of accountability. Kudos.— Talking point sleuth - I'm basically done commenting on this horrible tragedy. I would suggest that everyone watch this interview with Christina Green's father. I could use the words dignity, decency, and strength, but they wouldn't do this man justice. He's the one person whom could have said anything, blaming anyone, and I would have given him a pass. Instead he gives us a lesson in humanity. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyharnden/100071227/john-green-father-of-nine-year-old-shooting-victim-tuscon-such-a-wonderful-city/ — RG
- Check it out, RG. More "scumbags" willing to use a tragedy to push their agenda:
--snip--
Sal Russo, the leader of the Tea Party Express, said on Fox News today that shooting suspect Jared Lee Loughner “was obviously a leftist. He admired Mein Kampf and the Communist Manifesto. Those are not volumes that are popular with the Tea Party so he was obviously a left-wing anarchist, he was probably Anti-Semitic.”
--snip--
— Talking point sleuth - And more mommy mommy posts from you. — RG
- Too funny.
Glenn Beck admits that his own show is dangerous.
And yet, our beloved ARts will continue to claim that it isn't.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/37879_Glenn_Beck_Says_9-11_Truthers_Are_Dangerous_But_Guest_Host_of_Becks_Show_is_a_Truther— Talking point sleuth - I'm glad those concealed gun laws helped all the victims on Saturday. Where were all the minutemen to "spring into action" and defend us from the bad guys? Good work on allowing extended mags, if not for a broken spring, the devastation would be worse. And also nice to see our Discrimination loving RG defend Beck, Palin and the other nitwits on the Right. Keep thinking words don't have consequences.— The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
- Yeah, because strict gun laws at Fort Hood stopped the shooter there. Way to be another scumbag willing to use this tragedy to push your agenda. — RG
- The guy who is fine with discrimination calling me a scumbag?!? Hide behind your "ideology" RG. You are a coward! — The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
- I'm not exploiting a tragedy to score cheap political points. You couldn't give two s--ts about those who were shot, but you'll use the attack as ammunition against your opponents. Your faux intellectualism is actually kind of entertaining, though. Words have consequences, man. You are so deep. — RG
- RG the racist is now the defending the indefensible. I'm glad you find this tragedy all so entertaining. — The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
- ===]]] It is great to watch you confuse mental illness with extremism. [[[===
I'm sorry, RG - I didn't realize that you're not an extremist after all. Apologies extended.— Talking point sleuth - ===]]] Regardless of this nuts political leanings - left or right - trying to tie his actions to political free speech is ridiculous. [[[===
Kudos for calling out sloboat for his politicization of the shooting, birdie.
I commend you.
And btw, can you spell N.E.W. E.N.G.L.A.N.D. P.A.T.R.I.O.T.S?— Talking point sleuth - Patriots???? On Saturday you had the Colts beating my J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS and wondering if I would be jumping on the Eagles bandwagon. Now it's Monday the JETS won and the Eagles are out...........and you're talking about the Patriots.
TPS this only proves two things:
1) Your vitriol for someone with an opposing political view is so extreme you actually root against the other person's football team, and
2) all those comments about you moving the goalpost are dead on accurate.— bird11 - 45-3? Did I get that right? — Talking point sleuth
- Bird, you'll appreciate this story. Hard to root against the guy after reading this. http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5991920 — RG
- Comment removed.
- Regardless of this nuts political leanings - left or right - trying to tie his actions to political free speech is ridiculous. I assume living in that area he saw the Palin ad but it is a leap to think the ad caused this tragic event. Crazy people do crazy things because they are crazy.
Any one attempting to tie this event to politics is simply engaging in partisan politics. Which is no surprise in this day and age.
I doubt anyone blames Paul McCartney and John Lennon for the Tate/Lobianco murders yet Charles Manson specifically said (and believed) that the Beatles were telling him to kill to start the revolution. Nuts are gonna hear what they want to hear - I doubt anyone hear ever thought "Happiness is a Warm Gun", "Revolution" and 'Helter Skelter" were a call to violence and murder.— bird11 - Amen. — RG
- ===]]] it's a shame that my intentional irony flew right over your head [[[===
Right. It was "irony" when you called me a name to prove that name-calling loses arguments.
Ladies and gentlemen (and bile.atkins), I give you a "conservative's" notion of accountability.
Too funny.— Talking point sleuth - ===]]] You didn't refute any of my actual arguments, [[[===
Really? I posted numerous times how your statement was factually incorrect.
Have a nice evening.— Talking point sleuth - ===]]] You're right TPS. Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck's names have never come up in this conversation. [[[===
You said that "the media" blamed the shooting on Republicans. That was factually incorrect.
I gave you examples of "the media" blaming libz. And right on cue, sloboat followed with his rant (one of many) blaming the shooting on a lib.
People are denouncing extremist rhetoric - much of it on the right. And when that happens, some "conservatives" whine "Mommy, mommy" and pretend that extremism is "irrelevant."
Hey - if you think that extremist rhetoric is a good thing, that's your prerogative. But when you make factually incorrect statements, you should appreciate being corrected.— Talking point sleuth - TPS, it's a shame that my intentional irony flew right over your head. You didn't refute any of my actual arguments, just changed the subject to the point where we're not even talking about the issue anymore. I'm out.— bobbyd24
- And fighting against gun control isn't a republican cause.— bobbyd24
- Also a classic comment - even though it is so brief.
===]]] But that's what 3rd graders do when they lose an argument. [[[===
So, calling me a 3rd grader is how you prove that calling someone names is what a person does when they're losing an argument?
Oh. My sides.— Talking point sleuth - You're right TPS. Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck's names have never come up in this conversation.— bobbyd24
- ===]]] This conversation is not about the shooter's political leanings. [[[===
Classic. This after you falsely claimed that "the media" was blaming the shooting on Republicans, and one post after sloboat just went on a rant about how the shooter is a lib.
You know, one of those "One World Government, abortion is terrorism" libz.
Absolutely classic.— Talking point sleuth - The point was, RG - bobby's post was factually wrong. "The media" didn't attribute responsibility to Republicans.
But keep jumping. Your a world class defender, denier, and diminisher of extremism - and it's always amusing to watch.— Talking point sleuth - As always, you didn't have a point. In a rush to spew your verbal diarrhea, you cluelessly dropped a mommy post.
It is great to watch you confuse mental illness with extremism.— RG - What in the hell are you talking about TPS?? This conversation is not about the shooter's political leanings. But that's what 3rd graders do when they lose an argument. Go off on a tangent and resort to name-calling.— bobbyd24
- Comment removed.
- Wow. Yet another classic:
===]]] yet the media has declared a motive of their own, and it just happens to be directed at Republicans, [[[===
Instapundit calls him a lefty, Gateway Pundit says he is "definitely left wing, Atlas Shrugs instantly branded Loughner a “total lefty loon” and at the American Spectator, Phil Klein wrote, “At this point, we have more reason to blame the revolutionary writings of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels [than Sarah Palin] for what happened today.” World Nut Daily ran an article with the headline, “Assassin’s politics lean ‘left wing, quite liberal‘” which Conservatives4Palin dutifully parroted, “The Shooter Was Reportedly “Left Wing, Quite Liberal.”
Keep going boyz. Each and every post speaks volumes.
— Talking point sleuth - Mommy mommy they did it first. — RG
- ===]]] TPS bro, how many mommy mommy's do we hear during every discussion about terrorism? [[[===
Good point. Because, you know, libz never denounce Islamic extremism.
That's why you toadies won't denounce rightwing extremism, because libz (in your deluded mindset) won't denounce Islamic extremism.
You actually wrote a "Mommy, mommy" post to defend lame "Mommy, mommy" posts. Mommy, mommyism on an exponential scale.
Too funny.— Talking point sleuth - You know what speaks volumes, TPS? The fact that no motive has been declared/released in the Arizona shooting, yet the media has declared a motive of their own, and it just happens to be directed at Republicans, as if they're the only ones who get out of control with hate speech. Add to that, that after the Ft. Hood shooting, the media insisted on no one jumping to conclusions about motive, despite the gunman yelling Allah Akbar or whatever it is as he fired the shots.— bobbyd24
- Another classic.
Glenn Beck - with a quote about how "We must stand together against violence," with a picture of him holding a gun.
Of course, because it is so "irrelevant," they erased the picture from his website after it was noted - just like Palin's cronies erased violent images after the AZ shooting.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/37878_Glenn_Becks_Gun
Now jump, boyz, jump.— Talking point sleuth - Comment removed.
- TPS bro, how many mommy mommy's do we hear during every discussion about terrorism? You know, whenever someone says ISLAMIC terrorism one of you lefties brings up Tim McVeigh?— valentsgrif
- ===]]] Or the Unibomber? [[[===
Classic.
These toadies actually believe that libz would, in some lame defensiveness about the Unibomber, seek to justify his violence by saying "Mommy, mommy, rightwing lunatics do it toooooooooooo."
Keep posting, boyz. It speaks volumes.— Talking point sleuth - ALL PISTOLS ARE SEMI-AUTOMATIC!. i don't understand the article's point. did he mean to write the word "handgun"!what level of research does the author dedicate to piece before writing? did he mean revolver? even a revolver has at least six shots. are they confused by the term semi-automatic. it is a big word.— octopus88
- All pistols are not semi-automatic. A semi-automatic firearm loads the following round when the slide racks after a shot. In revolvers, the hammer cocking is what prepares a shot to be fired.
— Pelti - How telling that our beloved Attytood Republican toadies think that if someone denounces rightwing extremist rhetoric, they necessarily believe that no Democrats ever engage in similar rhetoric?
They are so locked into their toadyistic mentality, and so reflexively defensive of anything Republican - no matter if it is extremist - that they can't even conceive of non-toadyistic beliefs.
Not one example in any of these threads of defensiveness about extremist rhetoric by Dems - yet all our beloved ARts can do, when presented by extremist rightwing rhetoric, is whine "Mommy, mommy."
It speaks volumes, boyz.— Talking point sleuth - Comment removed.
- Waddabout the environmentalist Al Gore follower who tried to shoot up/blow up a building? http://www.heartland.org/environmentandclimate-news.org/article/28350/Environmental_Extremist_Gunned_Down_before_Detonating_Bomb_Killing_Hostages.html Or the Unibomber? Or how about the anti corporation wackos who blew up the Starbucks in NYC last year. Anyone care to comment on what they were listening to?— valentsgrif
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- We should make cocaine and heroin illegal too. Then we can shut down all the rehab clinics right?— bobbyd24
- I almost think TPS is happy this happened so he can troll on about the conservative right.— OrangeSoda40
- Comment removed.
- ===]]] One more question TPS- do you think Sarah Palin needs security? Do you think she gets threats from whacked out Liberals and democrats? [[[===
I have no doubt that she does, and I denounce anyone who speaks about Palin with violent rhetoric. How you think that justifies, in your bizarre logic of "Mommy, mommy, they did it fiiirrrrsssttt" vitroloic rhetoric from the right is very telling.
Like I said, idiot, I'll leave the denying, diminishing, and defending of vitriolic and violent rhetoric to you and our beloved ARts and extremist libertarians.— Talking point sleuth - People kill people....and what kind of capitalistic society would we be if we did not identify that market, expidite the consumers access to the product and make a hefty profit from it. How can we be expected to compete with the terrorstic regimes in the middle east where everyone is carrying an AK.— shamdog
- This, ladies and gentlemen (and bile.atkins), is why he used to post under the name of "idiot."
===]]] This was ok with Liberals and Democrats- they actually were saying it is funny [[[===
The incident in question was violent imagery involving Sarah Palin. In the very article idiot linked, the librul mayor of the town denounced the imagery, saying:
--snip--
"Politics in America has become extremely polarized in recent years and we all have a responsibility to focus on our political differences in a thoughtful and peaceful manner."
--snip--
The mayor of that town, the very same one who denounced the imagery as being destructive, was endorsed by the following groups:
The LA League of Conservation Voters, LA County Federation of Labor, Association for LA Deputy Sheriffs, Stonewall Democratic Club, Congressman Henry Waxman, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and the entire West Hollywood City Council.
No doubt, if the imagery in question was one of rightwing extremism, our beloved Attytood Republican toadies and extremist libertarians would attack the mayor for his denouncement, and defended, denied, and diminished the negative impact.
Keep posting, idiot - you're doing a great job.
Too funny.— Talking point sleuth - Comment removed.
- What you don't see me doing, ever, blogger who used to post under the screenname of "idiot," is defending, denying, or diminishing extremism.
You also don't see me whining "Mommy, mommy, they did it fiiiiiiirrrssst" as a lame defense of extremism in the left (as we see so often from faux "conservatives" and "moderates" at Attytood.
I categorically denounce extremist rhetoric as being destructive, whether it comes from the right or the left.
I'll leave the defensive pandering for extremism to you and the rest of our much beloved Attytood "conservatives."
Because it speaks volumes, loud and clear, about how you roll.— Talking point sleuth 
One more question TPS- do you think Sarah Palin needs security? Do you think she gets threats from whacked out Liberals and democrats? Google before you answer.- Yes, Palin's been stalked by some nutcase from McAdoo now for some time (he's under the delusion he once dated her?). Luckily she and law enforcement know who he is, and she's been able to get a restraining order. In a sane world he could also be prohibited from purchasing, owning or possessing a firearm. What Palin also has is a good PR machine which 'coincidentally' leaked more details to TMZ today. Now the whole world knows who he is. I've got no problem with that.
- Hey TPS are Anarchist more liberal or on the conservative side of issues?
I see you rail against the Anarchists and their choas and destruction often here........ - This was ok with Liberals and Democrats- they actually were saying it is funny- and no harm is being done toi anyone on the Talking Head shows- now what?
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/29/palin.noose/ - Batty, I hope you agree that it's just as inappropriate, and not being offered to justify right-wing hate speech. Like Beck pretending to poison his cardboard Pelosi's glass of wine on his FoxNews TV show. I think we're on the same page, right?
-
More vitriol to be denied, diminished, or defended by our beloved Attytood Republican toadies and extremist libertarians.
--snip--
Slain federal judge was target of hundreds of threats in 2009
John M. Roll, the chief federal judge in Arizona, has been the subject of hundreds of threats, some so serious he was once under 24-hour protection...
[...]
Roll was the victim of hundreds of threats in February 2009 after he allowed a lawsuit filed by illegal immigrants against a rancher to go forward. "They cursed him out, threatened to kill his family, said they'd come and take care of him. They really wanted him dead," a law enforcement official told The Washington Post in May 2009.
U.S. marshals put Roll under 24-hour protection for about a month. They guarded his home in a secluded area just outside Tucson, screening his mail and escorting him to court, to the gym and to the Catholic Mass he attended daily.
--snip--
Now jump, RG, jump.— Talking point sleuth - I suppose less people would have been killed had he tossed two or three flaming wine bottles into a crowd? Or drove a Chevy Suburban right through the receiving line? Random killings by lunatics isn't stopped by focusing on implements.— valentsgrif
- Unfortunately, guns are their weapon of choice, and also the weapon of choice for law-abiding owners who wish to protect themselves. Would you tell the latter that they could just as easily defend themselves from intruders with molotov cocktails, so why bother owning a gun?
- "Weapon of choice" is whatever is available. Loonies who want to get in the paper and have bloodied victims' biographies played incessently on the tube don't care. Bombs, pick up trucks, swords, guns (a single round from a 12 guage shotgun can disperse nine 9mm slugs in ONE pull of the trigger. Whats next, take away the farmer's shotgun?), who cares. You're just dead. — valentsgrif
- Someone else for our much beloved ARts to attack:
The woman who grabbed the gun from the shooter. I mean, she has the audacity to say that "the extreme right has gone too far."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnHdGbdpDR8&feature=player_embedded#!— Talking point sleuth - Guns don't kill people....blah blah blah. Even though the majority of the western civilized world has realistic gun laws and exponentially far fewer guns deaths per capita. But hey! How will momma Grizzly wrastle up some vittles for her cubs without a hi-capacity Glock?— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus
- The one good thing about this incident is that extremists on both sides might start feeling the pressure to tone-down the vitriol.
--snip--
Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona said she wanted to promote ways to “tone our rhetoric and partisanship down” in a note she sent Friday to Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson.
Giffords sent the email to Grayson Friday evening congratulating him for being hired as director of Harvard University’s Institute of Politics. Though from different parties, the two became friends while participating in a leadership fellowship in 2005, Grayson said.
In the email, which Grayson provided to cn|2 Politics, Giffords said she wanted work with Grayson on ways to encourage tamping down the current tone of political discourse.
“After you get settled, I would love to talk about what we can do to promote centrism and moderation. I am one of only 12 Dems left in a GOP district (the only woman) and think that we need to figure out how to tone our rhetoric and partisanship down,” Giffords wrote to Grayson.
She wrote the message the evening before attending a meeting with constituents Saturday morning in Tucson at which a gunman critically wounded Giffords and 12 others and killed six people, including a federal judge.
--snip--
Unfortunately, far more likely is that apologists for extremism will continue to defend the extremist rhetoric, and attack those who criticize the extremism. We've seen many such examples right here at Attytood.
Let's see if our beloved ARts attack Giffords as they have others who denounce the vitriol.— Talking point sleuth - You really are a dope. If you have the courage (something I doubt)take a look at an illustrated (and documented with outside links) at this blog post:http://michellemalkin.com/2011/01/10/the-progressive-climate-of-hate-an-illustrated-primer-2000-2010/
Unlike your cowardly leftie heros these are not selectively edit for effect. Read the stuff you lying POS.— georgel - Point well taken, but sheesh, Malkin really had to scrape the barrel, didn't she? It's a wonder she didn't scour Attytood archives for TPS' comments, eh?
- What a joke, but considering this drivel comes from TPS, it's not surprising.
I think the WSJ said it best, snippster.
"To be clear, if you're using this event to criticize the "rhetoric" of Mrs. Palin or others with whom you disagree, then you're either: (a) asserting a connection between the "rhetoric" and the shooting, which based on evidence to date would be what we call a vicious lie; or (b) you're not, in which case you're just seizing on a tragedy to try to score unrelated political points, which is contemptible. Which is it?"
So which is it, TPS? Are you a liar, or just contemptible?
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