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Aeizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was senselessly and needlessly shot by a young, anti-government assailant earlier today. The shooting occurred as she was doing her job meeting constituents outside of a Safeway grocery store in northwest Tucson, during her first "Congress on Your Corner" meeting of the year. 22 year old Jared Lee Loughner shot Giffords and some 12 others, killing a small child, 4 others, and US District Judge John Roll, who joined the federal court in 1991, and for part of his tenure, had served as chief judge. He had received prior death threats for his decision to let an illegal immigrant sue a wealthy rancher. Loughner allegedly shot the congresswoman "point blank" in the head and may have come from inside the store to do so. Like most gun-toting, trigger-happy cowards, he attempted to flee after running out of ammunition but was tackled by one of Giffords' staffers and is now in police custody.
Loughner’s YouTube account, which is full of anti-government language, an obsession over currency and language standards, and the usual far-right paranoia, is revealing.
It reads, in part, “in conclusion, reading the second United States Constitution, I can’t trust the current government because of the ratifications: the government is implying mind control and brainwash on the people by controlling grammar,” he writes in one video posting. “No! I won’t pay debt with a currency that’s not backed by gold and silver! No! I won’t trust in God!”
Every United States Military recruit at MEPS in Phoenix is receiving one mini bible before the tests,” he writes in one video. “Jared Loughner is a United States Military recruit at MEPS in Phoenix. Therefore, Jared Loughner is receiving one mini bible before the tests."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has issued this statement:
“This senseless attack today in Tucson is a national tragedy, and all America mourns those who lost their lives in the very act of public service. I join the entire Congress in condemning this horrifying act of violence, and on behalf of the entire Senate family, Elaine and I extend our deepest expressions of sympathy and heartfelt prayers to Rep. Giffords and the families of those who have been killed or injured. The U.S. Capitol Police are joining local, state and federal officials in this investigation. We appreciate their quick response and stand ready to assist in their efforts."
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) put out this statement:
“I am horrified by the violent attack on Representative Gabrielle Giffords and many other innocent people by a wicked person who has no sense of justice or compassion. I pray for Gabby and the other victims, and for the repose of the souls of the dead and comfort for their families. I beg our loving Creator to spare the lives of those who are still alive, heal them in body and spirit, and return them to their loved ones. Whoever did this; whatever their reason, they are a disgrace to Arizona, this country and the human race, and they deserve and will receive the contempt of all decent people and the strongest punishment of the law.”
Rep. Giffords had just won election in a tight 3 way race in November. Her vote totals were:
Democrat Gabrielle Giffords 138,280 48.76%
Republican / Tea Party Jesse Kelly 134,124 47.30%
Libertarian Steven Stoltz 11,174 3.94% +1.48%
Giffords was one of the 20 Democrats who were elected in 2008 and voted for health care reform and were then targeted for defeat by Sarah Palin in a "takebackthe20" campaign that included a map showing each congressional district in cross-hairs -- as in a gunsight. Rather incendiary.
Fox "News" and Sarah Palin have long bandied about terms like putting opponents in the "crosshairs", and today we got the end-result of their hateful, inciteful language. Defeated Nevada Tea Party Senate candidate Sharron Angle quipped that voters may get so upset with Washington that they'll take "second amendment solutions" to redress their grievances.
Well, I hope they are all happy, because today, their wholly immature and utterly irresponsible advice was acted upon - for REAL! I HOLD EACH OF THESE RIGHT-WING NUT CASES PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR TODAY'S SHOOTING!
This isn't just reckless hyperbole designed to get attention anymore. SIX REAL PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES NEEDLESSLY, and a number of others will now face the rest of their lives with varying degrees of trauma and physical impairment.
IT IS COMPLETELY DESPICABLE!
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE IN A DEMOCRACY LIKE OURS!THESE PEOPLE HAVE GONE WAY TOO FAR OVER THE EDGE---NICE JOB, FOX, SARAH PALIN, SHARRON ANGLE, AND YOU OTHER RIGHT-WING NUT CASES!
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OK, you got your extended Bush tax cuts for the rich, and you have established control over the House of Representatives, and you've been Speaker of the House for 4 days. NOW, WHERE ARE THE JOBS, MR. BOEHNER?
21 comments:
Hear, hear! I second this sentiment.
Right on, jadedj!
Hello Jack,
Of course as soon as Sarah's cute and perky but truly “Maverickie” little "Teabagger Rifle Scope Crosshair Target Chart" could have possible cost Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords her life,…..Sarah Palin took it off her Facebook site.
I think that it should be made known to “Every Responsible Citizen of the United States” the kind of inflammatory rhetoric that Bimbo Barbie Palin has been propagating to too many sick minds that can be found within the Tea Party. Remember Sarah’s cute little “Wink Wink” statement, “Don’t Retreat….Reload!!!"? Well there you have it.
After today's devastating news, Sarah Palin has tried to cover her ass by releasing a statement on her Facebook page:
"My sincere condolences are offered to the family of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of today's tragic shooting in Arizona," she wrote. "On behalf of Todd and my family, we all pray for the victims and their families, and for peace and justice."
Well here is the official released "Engineer Of Knowledge’s" statement to Sarah Palin and her "SEX GIMP" Todd……ROT IN HELL ASSHOLES!!!
Now go shoot a moose dim wit!!
Let us not forget about the 9-year old child who died today. Her name is Christina Taylor Green, who had just been elected to the student council of her school. According to a Twiiter account, Christina was featured in a book, Faces of Hope: Babies Born on 9/11.
Christina Taylor Green, 2001 - 2011. R.I.P.
I disagree with all of these comments. It is clear the individual who shot these innocent people today was not swayed by anything to the right but, is a disturbed young adult. You are shoveling a bunch of blame by targeting and slandering one individual. The right to own firearms is a right of all Americans. If you don't like it, go live in a communist country where you have no rights and, are totally owned by the government. See how you feel when these government czars push you around and, rob you of the ability to own property, to earn a living, to worship as you choose, etc. You will then realize you are not allowed to have personal freedoms to protect yourself. When you experience all of this and, you do not like it...come back here and apologize, kick yourself in the butt, and kiss the ground you walk on.
January 9, 2011 12:27 AM
Concert Master, You are a master of nothing but stupidity.
Are you suggesting the UK is "Communist"? They have some of the strictest anti gun laws in the world, yet they aid us in W's war for oil in the mid east -disguised as anti-terror- (Humm, we could find Hussein no problem, but a 6 & and half foot tall Muslin in the mountains strapped to a dialysis machine can't be found - and YES! I blame Obama for that as well).
Today's shooter was not a vehicle of the right, he was a nut case. However, we do (as all countries; free or not) have crazy people in our boarders. Do we really need a political party routinely suggesting murder as a way to settle policy differences within our own Govt? Is EVERYONE being armed the only way for a country to be free?
Engineer of Knowledge,
And I agree with you. This constant analogy to shooting can only provoke unstable, crazed people, and in this case, it certainly has.
Octopus,
Thank you for this. The poor little angel died completely NEEDLESSLY, a wholly unnecessary victim of a crazed idiot whipped-up by ridiculously inciteful right-wing passions. I, for one, have had enough of this nonsense!
Concert Master,
I think your orchestra's way out of key on this one. Where there's smoke there's fire, and there's been plenty of irresponsible far-right, anti-government smoke being brewed of late by Fox, Palin, Angle, Bachmann, and many others. Such talk is irresponsible and doesn't belong in a democracy built on laws rather than anarchy. That the young man was disturbed there is no doubt; but he was more than egged on by the likes of Palin, Angle, and Bachmann.
I think you'll find that most people, EVEN THE SHERIFF OF PIMA COUNTY HIMSELF, disagree with your assessment on this.
Anonymous,
"Do we really need a political party routinely suggesting murder as a way to settle policy differences within our own Govt? Is EVERYONE being armed the only way for a country to be free?"
I agree with you 100%.
Tea Party favorite Sharon Angle talked of using "Second Amendment solutions."
A pander to kooks like the Arizona murderer. These irresponsible to say it nicely statements are coming home to roost on the right.
I hope this leads to a more responsible delivery of message from the right but in a few days things will be back to the normal state of nuttery from the right's spin machine. Rush and Glen will be making excuses and trying to deflect blame from they're hate inspired rhetoric. Boehner will be decrying anything progressive as anti America.
I wish I had answers Jack. All I have is observations. We're generations away from the end of hate.
Very true, Truth 101, and thanks for stopping by. As evidenced from the comment made by "Concert Master" above, those on the right can dish it out but can't or won't take it. They live in a world of absolute denial; one where they always ask "Who, me?"
READERS: I am quoting from "mud_rake's" current post on this subject over at his magnificent "Man With A Muckrake" blog:
"The sheriff of Pima County Arizona, Clarence Dupnik, editorialized a bit as he spoke of the heinous crime.
'Let me say one thing, because people tend to pooh-pooh this business about all the vitriol that we hear inflaming the American public by people who make a living off of doing that,' the sheriff said during a press conference. 'That may be free speech, but it’s not without consequences.' Sheriff Dupnik chastized ‘talk show hosts and some TV hosts’ who stir up the public with their vitriolic comments.
Representative Giffords, the supposed main target of the shooter, had commented during her re-election campaign that she was on Gov. Palin’s target list for defeat this past November. She specifically was angered over Palin’s use of gun sight cross hairs on a map to ‘target’ Democratic seats. Interestingly, that map was taken down yesterday on the Palin website.
'People who make a living off of doing that,' the sheriff said. We all know their names; We know their M.O. We know their audience. They get rich stirring up their listeners, throwing red meat at them. Personally, I cannot imagine making a living doing such a thing. In a nation with 330 million people, one doesn’t yell ‘Fire’ over a microphone that is connected to millions of homes, and expect no one to react..."
I couldn't possibly agree more! I lambast conservatives and Republicans CONSTANTLY in this blog, but I would NEVER advocate killing any of them!!!
Now that the facts are the Assignation Shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, of Congresswoman Gifford on Saturday, has been linked to anti-Semitic, anti-immigration hate group, “American Renaissance,” a Fanatical Conservative Right Wing white nationalist hate group that is based on the superiority of whites. Yes Jared Loughner was Fueled by Extreme Right Conservative Rhetoric.” So Sarah Palin and The Tea Party should be so proud.
Engineer of Knowledge,
Rather than be proud, Palin and all the rest should be JAILED for inciting a riot and as accessories to murder and attempted murder!
Hello Jack,
The Palin and the Tea Party being proud was a tongue in cheek comment. I agree, all of those who have propagated the inflammatory rhetoric need to be held accountable for their irresponsible actions.
Hi, Jack. Please allow me to quote from what I posted today at Mad Mike's America:
"Allow me to point out as a Canadian that guns need not be so important to a country’s political culture. Indeed, some of the background to the Tucson massacre seems bizarre and barabaric from up here.
"If a Canadian political leader issued a list of “targets” with a graphic depicting a rifle scope crosshairs, she would be roundly condemned for doing so.
"If a candidate for Parliament were to hold a gun-centered campaign event with the inducement of getting to fire “a fully automatic M16” – and an opponent’s name cluttered in near the word “target” and after the word “remove” in an event notice – the backlash would be quite damaging to the candidate and his party. In fact, I’m pretty sure such a candidate would be dumped by any mainstream party in Canada.
"But not in the United States, where talk of 'Second Amendment remedies' and the sight of a protester toting an assault rifle outside an Obama rally get criticized but don’t seem to be a really big deal. It’s quite sad."
In a just world, Sarah Palin would be made a pariah for what she has done. Instead she's adored by many.
The pro-gun and pro-Tea Party crowd has been spinning like tops for the past 24 hours, trying to defer blame from themselves.
When they finally wear out, they will have to face the guilt. But, knowing them, they will remain in denial like they always do.
They are a hopeless set, truly hopeless.
Stimpson,
Good to hear from you again! Your submission is proof positive of the much higher degree of civilization found above our border. From health care to guns, you have provided us with beautiful examples of common sense, civility, and downright decency, and I thank you for it!
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mud_rake,
You are absolutely right. I hope they spin themselves off the face of this earth, because there is no real defense to their obsession with guns and militarism. They've taken a very well-deserved hit in terms of public opinion this weekend!
Good post, Jack. I agree with most of what has bees said here, except for Concert Master's lame "Who us?" excuse. Every time blood is shed as a result of of the love affair between Republicans and violent rhetoric, we hear the same foolish lie.
Thanks, TomCat---they are FULL of lies!
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