On The Arizona Shooting
What happened this weekend in Arizona was a tragedy. For the first time since I can remember someone attempted to murder a congressperson. Several people were killed, including a nine year old girl.
In the wake of disasters such as this, people tend to scramble to try and find answers, A lot of people toss out a lot of accusations, counter-accusations, half baked theories, manipulations, and even the occasional rumor. How was this allowed to happen? Who is to blame? What simple but shortsighted legislation can we demand before attention is pulled to the next crises?
Here are my thoughts on the subject.
Was the violent speech from Conservatives responsible for this?
No. That’s not how responsibility works.
This was the work of a crazy person. His only political alignment was to the diseased urges in his mind. Politicians and talking heads didn’t make him crazy. They didn’t buy him the gun. They didn’t prevent him from seeking psychological help. And they didn’t pull the trigger. Their speech didn’t make him do this. He wasn’t in their employ. If it wasn’t this, it could have been the Bible, or Catcher in the Rye, of Pokemon. He is a wad of paranoid emotion that found a target and went off.
Millions of people manage to listen to the same speeches, read the same web-sites, and watch the same pundits speaking, and somehow manage to not murder anyone.
Did the violent political rhetoric influence this event?
Well yes. That’s how society works.
Every action you take triggers potentially thousands of additional actions. The rhetoric was deliberately designed to influence people, that’s the whole point of communicating with people when you’re a politician. People in the public eye have the capacity to change the way other people speak, dress, think, and act. Millions of people hear the political speeches in this country. Millions heard what these politicians and pundits had to say. That changed and effected society. Which in turn exerted an influence on the shooter. People are angry and paranoid right now, I’ll leave it to you to decide if they are justifiably so. But the yelling, vague threats, not so veiled threats, demonization, and claims of victim hood that have been on the rise of late do not make for a pleasant or healthy society. At the very least it’s harder to pick out the crazies when there are people on TV that sound just as crazy. It makes it easier to blend in to the background, and easier for an insane person to find something to target as “the bad guys”.
Are people going to Politicize this?
Of course they are. That is how politics works.
Something happens, and the politicians react and adapt to it. It’s not any more morally reprehensible than any other political process that we use in this country. It’s just how things are. An event this significant is political energy, which like any other tool has no morality or consciousness. Tools require human direction to have morality. Something will happen politically. It’s up to us, this being a Democratic society, to make sure that this direction is a positive one.
Some people will try to make it about guns. It isn’t about guns. Making guns illegal doesn’t stop crazy terrorists from getting them. And everybody having guns doesn’t prevent an event like this from happening. Hell professional shooters miss all the time at close range in combat. Imagine what a group of scared amateurs are going to be like.
Some people want to make it about free speech, or the abridgment thereof. It’s really not, or at least it shouldn’t be. Freedom of speech includes the freedom to say disagreeable things during political contests, and it should. The alternative to our society tolerating speech we disagree with is far more horrifying to me than the results of Saturday’s shooting.
Maybe this should be about being seeing what political violence looks like. Maybe this should be about saying “Oh….that’s not something I want to see more of.” Maybe this should be about realizing that the media and political figures are in the business of telling people what they want to hear, and that perhaps we as a society should make it plain that we want to hear better from them.
Maybe it could be about learning to not act like you think murder or violence is a valid political strategy, so that when something happens you don’t make the cause you are dedicating your life to look like a bunch of assholes.
Maybe it should be about figuring out that there is a difference between an opponent and an enemy.
And maybe it could be about getting through one week of news without being hate-fucked in the ear by someone with with an axe to grind. Maybe this could be about political discourse being elevated above the level of a fourteen year old virgin who had a bad night of World of Warcraft.
Or maybe it’s just one of those horrible things where people get killed and it doesn’t mean anything at all. What the fuck do I know? I just write a humor blog.
Follow
January 11th, 2011 at 11:54 am
thats why its not legal to buy guns over here…
Reply
Scott K reply on January 11th, 2011 3:54 pm:
lukazaz, did you even read the whole post?
He wrote:
“Some people will try to make it about guns. It isn’t about guns. Making guns illegal doesn’t stop crazy terrorists from getting them. And everybody having guns doesn’t prevent an event like this from happening. Hell professorial shooters miss all the time at close range in combat. Imagine what a group of scared amateurs are going to be like.”
So no, that is not why it’s not legal to buy guns Over There.
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 11:57 am
Hear, hear!!
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
::stands and applauds::
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
I still have to wonder though how it always seems to be politicians nowadays that seem to survive headshots. The last one was Cheney’s friend. That’s the only weird connection I’ve noticed so far.
Reply
Able Seaman reply on January 11th, 2011 1:01 pm:
That’s because all the politicians are actually lizard people, Man!
Its a conspiracy, Man!
Reply
Sequoia reply on January 11th, 2011 1:03 pm:
DAVID ICKE SPOKE THE TRUTH!!
Not really, he was a crazy fucker. Or should it be fucqer since there is a queen instead of a king right now?
Reply
jmireles reply on January 12th, 2011 12:34 am:
I prefer to believe it’s because they aren’t being hit anywhere that’s vital to them. ASll kidding aside, I couldn’t agree more with Skippy. My wife and I were watching a news story about the incident. I’ve been following it, and have been keenly interested. As a responsible gun owner, I’m afraid that this is gonna lead to more gun laws, even if the ones we currently have are damn near useless. I would like to say that I find it morally reprehensible to see politicians trying to use this as fodder for gun control. Makes me sick.
Reply
spcMIKE reply on January 12th, 2011 9:07 am:
My dad still has a pellet in his chin from a dove hunting accident many years ago so the Cheney thing didn’t really surprise me.
Gifford survived due to the advancements in neurosurgery and traumatic medicine that have come out of the wars of the last decade.
Reply
VonZorch reply on October 21st, 2012 10:11 pm:
No brain, no damage.
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Notice you did not mention the dailykos hate on this story. just one of many joy notes from them.
I wonder if the DailyKos is at fault here, they did target her for removal with this quote.
“Not all of these people will get or even deserve primaries, but this vote certainly puts a bulls eye on their district. ”
Wonder what they meant with that bulls eye, and to not deserve primaries comments? source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/25/1204/74882/511/541568
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
We hope that 14-year-old is a virgin… Ah, kids these days on the Internet.
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Political rhetoric is as responsible for this as the Beatles are responsible for the Manson killings.
Reply
M578Jockey reply on January 12th, 2011 8:46 am:
On the other hand the Beatles were a musical group, not one of the two major political parties in the most powerful nation on earth. Slight difference there.
While Palin, Bachman, Demint, McCain et. al. did not cause the events in AZ, their rhetoric of hate and violence has certainly helped foster the astmosphere that makes such action more likely. And the Dems and the MSM are not a lot better because most of them haven’t done a damned thing to try to curb the rhetoric. Then again the public votes for and listens to these morons so I guess there is more than enough blame to go around. Let’s just hope the politicians don’t do something rash that we will all regret later.
That said, this looney is responsible for his own actions and should be strung up by his b*lls.
Reply
Phelps reply on January 12th, 2011 10:54 am:
“We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don’t know which will go first – rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity.”
— John Lenin
Seriously, if you think that the Beatles were some passing fad in the 60s, you need some perspective. That rankled the squares because there was enough truth in it to make it stick.
But in the end, we’re still agreeing. The loony is responsible for his own actions. And the people who are trying to smear the blood from this tragedy on their political opponents are responsible for theirs.
Like you in your second paragraph.
Reply
M578Jockey reply on January 12th, 2011 2:16 pm:
I think I mis-read your first comment (I read it before coffee, always a bad move). I do agree with your comment.
January 11th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
Didi you hear that westboro baptist church is going to protest at the 9 year old girls funeral
Reply
Scott K reply on January 11th, 2011 5:09 pm:
The WBC is the most hateful bunch of fucktards running around today. Fortunate, AZ (or Tucson?) is pushing through some hasty legislation do to what they can to limit the WBC’s “free speech” to “Somewhere that isn’t near the funeral”. :]
Reply
SKD reply on January 11th, 2011 7:26 pm:
Even better, Arizonans(?) are speaking out and organizing to provide the family as large a buffer as possible from the asshole protesters.
Personally I favor the citizen’s efforts more than the government’s.
Reply
Aaron reply on January 11th, 2011 11:37 pm:
I’d like to see some decent folks just show up to punch those wbc’ers in the nose. They can say what they like, but shouldn’t be surprised when people are so grossly offended that they take action. It’s like peta and fur protesters–they don’t make such a stink about leather because it’s easier to survive the consequences of throwing paint on rich old ladies than on outlaw bikers. Those cowards would think again about where they spew their filth if they had to face actual consequences just once.
AdoAnnie reply on January 13th, 2011 2:15 am:
I seriously like this idea. Were I not required to work to pay bills and if I didn’t live in another state, I would gladly put myself between WBC and this child’s family. However, I would not punch them or interact with them, simply stand with my back to them holding up a lovely banner or quilt or other handmade shield and ignore the the ignorant protesters. I was really pleased to read about groups in other cities where WBC have put on shows that have used counter groups to raise funds to donate to every group that WBC protested – and donated the funds in WBC’s name! Now that is impressive response to hatred.
Jim A. reply on January 12th, 2011 11:13 am:
At some level, being a member of the WBC is its own (albiet insufficient) punishment. A life spent in hate, is a life wasted.
captcha: Luthos kapital. That’s either a German bank, or a book for Marxist werewolves.
Reply
jmireles reply on January 12th, 2011 12:41 am:
While I believe in people’s rights to free speech and assembly, these people have stepped way past the point where they’re protected. I’ve checked out their website, and their grasp of reality is more than a little shaky. They refer to what they’re doing as, “peacefully spreading the word”, and people’s response to their actions as “hateful”. Seriously, they’re all overdue for their meds. Jesus taught that we ought to reserve judgement, and shouldn’t condemn others as sinners, when we ourselves are also sinners. I find it sad when so-called “Christians” forget that oh so very fundamental tenet of our faith.
Reply
Mickey reply on January 14th, 2011 1:59 am:
Well, you have to understand they aren’t really a church. What they are, is a bunch of lawyers that make a living by making people mad enough to swing on them, and then suing those people. Really.
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
There are so many good things to quote here, I’ll just pick one: “And maybe it could be about getting through one week of news without being hate-fucked in the ear by someone with with an axe to grind.” That has probably got to be one of the best things I’ve heard in a while.
Look, I’m a student, and I love debating opinions with my classmates. I have no idea where or when government changed from logical discussion about what is best for the country changed to partisan warfare, but I’m sick of it. When Jon Stewart (of the Daily Show) gets compared to Ed Murrow (the reporter who took on McCarthyism) for embarassing Congress enough to pass that 9/11 responders bill, something has gone wrong.
Democracy means that we collectively figure out what is best, not that we try to beat the other party into submission so that we can cram our own agenda through.
Also, glad to hear that there are steps being taking to keep the WBC away from that poor girl’s funeral.
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Skippy – I’m not sure if you’re old enough to remember this, but Congressman Leo Ryan was killed in Nov 1978 in Guyana by members of the People’s Temple. You may remember them in relation to the Jonestown Massacre. He was a sitting member of Congress – I believe that’s the correct phrase.
My memory of this is hazy, but, without doing much research (just a quick look at Wikipedia), I think he was there investigating the People’s Temple at the request of his constituents.
Reply
January 11th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
meh, the whacko rhetoric is right wing now–in the ’70’s it was left wing and the whackos were “revolutionaries” and whatever other marxist buzzwords they thought would get them laid by earnest daughters of privilege. It’ll probably come around the other way again in another generation–after the very idea of conservatism becomes a sad joke. personally, I’m looking forward to the image of a christian in a tie becoming just as laughable as a bead bedecked hippie–to everyone, I mean. I already find it laughable.
Reply
January 12th, 2011 at 1:12 am
And you’re right, Skippy. This guy is a nut who fixated on Congresswoman Giffords, unfortunately. And he never did anything before that rose legally to the level of being a threat to himself or others, at least from what I’ve heard. So he couldn’t be confined. It’s not illegal to be crazy, and, IMHO, it *should* be hard to commit people.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel terribly sorry for the friends and families of the people who died on Saturday. Especially the little girl’s family. And I hope this guy is convicted and gets the death penalty.
The people who stepped up and grabbed his magazine and wrestled him to the ground, and the ones who assisted the wounded at the scene, are heroes who should get medals. And I hope they do.
Reply
January 12th, 2011 at 9:58 am
In response to Aaron, above (“I’d like to see some decent folks just show up to punch those wbc’ers in the nose. They can say what they like, but shouldn’t be surprised when people are so grossly offended that they take action. […] Those cowards would think again about where they spew their filth if they had to face actual consequences just once.”):
Unfortunately, the WBC is *more* than legally prepared for such an outcome, as it has happened in the past. If anyone assaults them–god forbid actually hits them or throws something at them–that person will be looking down the barrel of a criminal case and a civil suit before they know what hit ’em. The WBC may be batshit crazy, spiteful, hateful, and utterly wrong, but they aren’t stupid when it comes to that branch of legal recourse.
Reply
kat reply on January 12th, 2011 12:50 pm:
One or two of the daughters went to law-school so that they could sue people. The family makes much of their income from lawsuits against people who speak up against them (or get physical). The whole thing is just disgusting. I really wish that someone would win a lawsuit against them and the judge order them to pay out a shit-ton of damages, that might get their attention. I usually try very hard not to want that bad things would happen to people, but this is a group that I really think deserves to have something happen to them.
The worst part is that they are raising their own children in this environment of hate.
Reply
Scott K reply on January 14th, 2011 6:23 am:
It wouldn’t get their attention. They’re extremely secure in their utterly hateful convictions–so much so that they don’t care if they convert anyone to their way of thinking or not. If you don’t, well, you’re going to hell; if you do, well, okay. Either way, their “message” is getting out there, and any protesters, well, they’re going to hell.
Reply
January 14th, 2011 at 9:43 am
I find it deeply ironic that someone whose List of Things He Can’t Do in the Army portrays him as a complete loon has made one of the sanest posts around on this topic.
Thanks for that, Skippy. It was like pouring a cold glass of milk over my brain reading that.
Reply
AdoAnnie reply on January 14th, 2011 9:15 pm:
I hope you were feeding your brain Oreo cookies at the same time.
I think the roots of sanity grow strongest in humor. Especially when they are nurtured with cookies and milk, the better to snort milk out your nose when you laugh.
In memory of us all when were once nine years old when the world looked wide open and never ending. May Christina Green live on in all of us in joy and laughter and milk and cookies. Be at peace.
Reply