"I think the vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business and what (we) see on TV and how our youngsters are being raised, that this has not become the nice United States of America that most of us grew up in. And I think it's time that we do the soul-searching," ~Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, Saturday, January 8, 2011, following the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford; the killing of U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63; 9 year old, Christina Greene; Dorwin Stoddard, 76, pastor at Mountain Ave. Church of Christ; Dorthy Murray, 76; Phyllis Scheck, 79; Gabe Zimmerman, 30, Giffords' director of community outreach; and twelve others wounded by gunshot from the Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol of Jared Lee Loughner.
On Sunday, today, the Sheriff also said, "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” He also added in response to a question, “And I think that people who are unbalanced are especially susceptible to vitriol."
I agree with him and I have been saying that for a long time now that the hate, bigotry, and inciteful political comments being made in recent time, including Palin's cross-hairs target, are dangerous. Actions like this massacre are likely the result of someone grabbing on to the too- common vitriolic rhetoric in our country, much of it by people in positions that used to generate respect, such as those in politics, those running for political office, such as Palin, or media personalities who most often distort truth. All it takes is for someone who may be angry or a little unstable to find a reason to commit murder.
Palin took her map down from her site, I understand. Maybe feeling a little guilty? And what about Giffords' opponent using this line: Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly and Palin backing him, "Getting on Target," and phrases like that. That is dangerous stuff, and intelligent people in the limelight of the political or media arena should know that.
2 comments:
In my local paper today, which is conservative, it was mentioned that both CSNBC and FOX needed to tone down the violent rhetoric. I watch both, so I know what is going on. I can say without any doubt that all the violent rhetoric came from FOX. It's as though they wanted the nation to go to war because they were not happy with the 2008 elections. FOX is where ALL of the aggressive pro-violent comments came from. To compare FOX to CSNBC is ludicrous. MSNBC has bent over backwards to get out the truth and they have done a very good job. Fox, on the other hand, has been rendering nothing but lies and aggressive innuendos for years. Many conservatives are trying to blame both sides for this mess but I put the blame on the conservative right and the lenient gun rights laws that they continue to support.
Ricky, I assume you meant to say MSNBC. My observation is that many who are of the extreme right persuasion, and intelligent people, are in denial about the DANGER that violent rhetoric is having on our country. And again, fear comes into play by those skilled in manipulating and are making gun rights the issue when I believe it goes far beyond the right to own a gun. And of course, liberal are being attacked because those of us who may be a little more liberal than some are speaking out about the negative hate and violent dialogue that some media and politicians seem to be so proud of.
Good for Joe Scarborough speaking up today.
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