Arizona: U.S. Congresswomen, 12 others shot, at least 4 dead

The thing is most of the tea party "rhetoric" is coming from the left. Tea Baggers and what not. About how they are a bunch of stupid hicks. The left loves to look their nose down upon anyone that is against their ideology. And whenever they get the chance they will pass blame to those, even if its unrelated. Not saying the right does it, but IMO, the left is more cynical in general. Many (at least online on these boards and others) will cheer when a republican leader dies, stating they deserved it.

 

I'm sorry, can you quote me where "the left" said that if Democrats don't get elected they will try "second amendment remedies"? Or where "the left" asked supporters to openly carry firearms to a rally in support of health care reform? Or where a candidate of "the left" asked supporters to bring assault rifles to a campaign rally and fire them? Or where "the left" referred to a change in the tax code as "the same as Hitler's invasion of Poland"? Or where "the left" said a president telling schoolchildren to study hard and set goals was "just like Hitler"? Or where "the left" put out "hunting licenses" with a Republican president's name and picture? Or where a liberal congresswoman, like Nancy Pelosi, said she wanted her supporters "armed and dangerous"? Or where a liberal African-American Congressman wanted to hire as chief of staff a radio talk show host who called for armed insurrection? Surely someone as brilliant at copying and pasting as you are can provide these examples.

I did hear some people talk about wanting Bush to be tried in a court of law. You know, a legal solution. I did not hear Keith Olbermann or Markos Moulitsas talk about killing him.

 

link to those? lets see the context.

 

Silly Crandc, don't try to bring "facts" into this. It's obvious that this "left-wing pothead" would go out and shoot a liberal judge and a liberal Congresswoman. It's what left-wing liberal people do. It just makes sense.

Seriously though, this isn't helping ratchet down the rhetoric

 

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs...i-d-pa-fla-gov-rick-scott-they-ought-put-him-
http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion...-nuts-bolts-from-blue-1.1052739#axzz1A4hLabIP

 

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/06/14/obama-if-they-bring-a-knife-to-the-fight-we-bring-a-gun/

 

...and here we go with the Fairness Doctorine.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/jan/10/clyburn-words-can-be-danger/

 

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/01...d-over-culture-of-violence-they-have-wrought/

Why aren't all those hate-loving violent "left-wing potheads" going after the Republicans?

Me thinks the right doth protest too much

 

Please. It was very easy to see who he was talking about.

 

Sarah Palin isn't a religion (yet).

 

Let's see what John Stewart has to say

[video]http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-10-2011/arizona-shootings-reaction[/video]

 

We also have many laws against murder. Should we enact additionally redundant murder statutes?

271 Federal gun laws on the books, with over 22,000 state and local gun laws. Thousands more gun laws than the rest of the entire world combined.
Nearly all are in direct conflict with the 2nd Amendment, and are designed with the intent to disarm the populace. And they have succeeded in disarming much of the populace. Unfortunately they disarmed that neighbor of yours, the only guy who would have come runnin g to help you during that home invasion you just died in. Of course, they couldn't disarm the criminals who invaded your home because THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SILLY LAWS.

Switzerland has one basic gun law, designed to ensure a thoroughly armed populace. All males are given assault rifles and required to keep them handy. Additional guns are available to all citizens from the military. People carry them everywhere like Portlanders carry umbrellas.

Guess who has avoided both world wars and has been considered indefeatable for the last thousand years? Guess who has no gun violence problem? Guess who will still be a free and sovereign homeland long after the denuded US is overthrown by their own military?

Target shooting is Switzerland's National Sport, and shooting ranges are the most common recreational outlet. More popular than golf courses are here. It's a family sport and much as it used to in America up before the 70's, it solidifies both generational and community ties.

http://www.theblessingsofliberty.com/articles/article11.html

But there have been no school massacres in Switzerland, where guns and kids mix freely. At shooting matches, bicycles aplenty are parked outside. Inside the firing shelter, the competitors pay 12-year-olds tips to keep score. The 16-year-olds shoot rifles with men and women of all ages. In fact, the tourist brochure, "Zurich News" recommends September's Knabenschiessen (boy's shooting contest) as a must-see: "The oldest Zurich tradition consists of a shooting contest at the Albisguetli (range) for 12 to 16 year-old boys and girls and a colorful three-day fun-fair." The event has been held since 1657, and attracts thousands of teenage participants and spectators.

While many shoot for sport, all males aged 20 to 42 are required by militia system regulation to keep rifles and/or pistols at home. In addition, gun shops abound. Yet firearms are rarely used in crime.

Homicide is tied to a willingness to resort to violence, not the mere presence of guns. The prevalence of firearms in the home and the participation of youth in shooting matches bind youth to adults and discourages a generation gap.

By contrast, homicide rates are highest in the underdeveloped countries, many of which ban private firearm possession. In some, private murder does not compare to the genocidal murder committed by governments against their unarmed subjects.

In America, firearms take on a sinister reputation from the nightly news and violent movies. But in Switzerland, firearms symbolize a wholesome, community activity. The typical weekend shooting festival brings out the entire family. Beside the range is a huge tent where scores or hundreds of people are eating, drinking, and socializing. With cantonal and rifle club banners fluttering in the wind, the melody of rifle fire blends with Alpine music and cow bells.

Since its founding in 1291, Switzerland has depended on an armed populace for its defense. William Tell used a crossbow not only to shoot the apple from his son's head, but also to kill the tyrant Gessler. For centuries, the cantonal republic defeated the powerful armies of the European monarchs. Machiavelli wrote in 1532: "The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom."

This coincidence has not escaped the notice of those who oppose liberty.

Monarchist philosopher Jean Bodin, writing in 1606, denounced free speech and arms possession by commoners. Subjects must be disarmed to prevent democratic sedition, he said. The Swiss proved, Bodin wrongly averred, that arms bearing was "the cause of an infinite number of murders."

The Swiss militia model, however, preserved democracy and held Europe's despots at bay. In fact, it inspired the rebellious American colonists.

John Adams praised the democratic Swiss Cantons, where every man was entitled to vote on laws and to bear arms. Patrick Henry, another American Founding Father, lauded the Swiss for maintaining their independence without "a mighty and splendid President" or a standing army.

The Swiss influence is clear in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which provides: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." Today, it has become fashionable to hate this orphan of the Bill of Rights.

However, a quick glance at history shows that tyrannical governments kill far more than do private criminals. But first, governments must disarm their victims. In 1933, the

Nazis seized power via massive search-and-seizure operations for firearms against "Communists," i.e., all political opponents. In 1938, during the Night of the Broken Glass, they disarmed the Jews. When the Nazis occupied Europe in 1939-41, they proclaimed the death penalty for any person who failed to surrender all firearms within 24 hours.

There may be various reasons why the Nazis did not invade Switzerland, but one of those reasons is that every Swiss man had a rifle at home.

For this we have no better record than the Nazi invasion plans, which stated that, because of the Swiss shooting skills, Switzerland would be difficult to conquer and pacify.

European countries occupied by the Nazis had strict gun controls before the war, and the registration lists facilitated confiscation of firearms and the execution of their owners.

 

Did either of you watch it?

 

Those guys are too scared but I watched it.

He's usually much funnier.

 

Glenn Beck is a clown and he's on Fox News so it can happen the other way.

Interesting how Jon Stewarts message was dismissed by you and Ed O. Very interesting...

 

It'd be nice if, like Jon Stewart said, crazy political rhetoric on both sides could be dialed down enough that we could tell the difference between the rants of a psychotic and the rants of a pundit or politician.

Language matters when a rap singer calls people hos and n*****s. Language matters when you show Pulp Fiction to 6 year olds. Language matters when Obama's ex-pastor goes on his crazy rants. Language matters when you call somebody "teabagger." At least that's what I keep hearing from Republicans time after time.

So why is it language doesn't matter when political leaders say lies that push mentally unstable people further toward the brink?

As our politics pushes more toward the extreme, maybe the natural counterbalance to that is the blowback that happens after events like this. I haven't seen a shred of proof that Sarah Palin or Glen Beck said anything to specifically incite this insane person. They may have absolutely nothing to do with it.

But they play with incendiary, reckless language all the time. The backlash they are seeing is the price they pay for playing that game.

Just like I never really cared whether or not Bush instructed his staff to put up the "Mission Accomplished" banner. If you were watching his speeches since he took the national stage, he always used banners and signage in the background to reinforce his message. He trained America to understand that whatever was behind him on a big sign was his point. It's a screwy argument to say, "Well, I didn't mean it THAT time. That was some soldier's idea."

If you consistently use a certain communication style to rile up your fans, you have to face the consequences when it inevitably backfires. Even if it backfires in a way that's unfair in that particular circumstance.