Just hours after an assailant shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six bystanders, Democrat Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik linked the Tucson shooting rampage to harsh conservative rhetoric, he drew cheers from some left wing MSNBC types.
“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. And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”
(ABC News) — Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, today sent out a fundraising email to supporters in which he includes his analysis of the Arizona shootings that ties the tragedy to “right-wing reactionaries.”
“This horrendous act of violence is not some kind of strange aberration for this area where, it appears, threats and acts of violence are part of the political climate,” Sanders said in his letter. “Nobody can honestly express surprise that such a tragedy finally occurred.”
Sarah Palin took a lot of heat for using the term “blood libel” in her response to unfounded blame of the “Tea Party” talk radio ect………
After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event. President Reagan said, "We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions." Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies … journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.
The quote of Ronald Reagan in her speech sums it up very well…….
President Reagan said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not with those who proudly voted in the last election.
A MEDIA GUIDE FOR THE JOURNALISTICALLY CHALLENGED
Journey to ATLANTA!
My good friend and personal hero, Roberta, left a comment that included parts of President Obama’s speech in Tucson, I had not listened to or read the speech and would like to take this opportunity to praise the President for his handling of this matter.
13 comments:
The political rhetoric that surrounded the tragedy in Tucson is saddening, depressive.
It is high time that this country accept the concept of personal responsibility - in so many ways and for so many issues.
JJ
I only know about the shooting because my parents have mentioned it. I stopped watching the news during the rhetoric leading up to the election. I just can't stand any of it any more.
Man, oh man, do I ever miss Ronald Reagan!
I'm with JJ on this one. Personal responsibility.
Dear Sarge,
You know I'm not political ... but I wanted to share some of President Obama's speech at the memorial with you.
" ... at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized - at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do - it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.
... the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man's mind.
So yes, we must examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of violence in the future.
But what we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together."
It was a beautiful speech delivered to a heartbroken country.
No finger pointing. Only one man pulled that trigger. One man who was not well. One violent man.
I thought of my students ... 4th and 5th graders ... 9 and 10 years old after this horrifying act of violence and I thought of Christina with even greater sadness. It was one violent man who took her life. One man.
R
I'm back.
I just read this on a friend's Facebook page:
Our differences can either be a source of great strength, or weakness/turmoil. The key, I believe, is understanding that our similarities are what matter most.
Love--R
I love you Sarge.
Really!
About that sheriff in Pima County, Arizona...
You know how at the end of every Bill O'Reily show, how he puts up a big word for us to learn? And then he says, "When writing to the Factor, don't be _____" whatever the word is? Well, rumor has it that the newest one is, "Don't be a Dupnik".
So, sheriff Dupnik's name has now been immortalized.
Two words: personal responsibility
Welcome home. Big hugs, honey...
I've worked for some wonderful Sheriff's in my time Sarge, but I wouldn't/couldn't work for this one. He's a disgrace. I know now investigations take place. He had no idea who/what/why this had happened when he opened his big trap. He's part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Have a terrific day. Welcome home. :)
Amen to all of the above. And God help us if a lunatic that has ever attended a tea party event, or voted Republican, cuts loose with some sort of wickedness. I'm scared to death of that happening, especially right now. Evil is evil whatever side of the fence it's on.
~~~I'd like to see Paul Krugman lose his job and wind up on skid row. That guy is a real bum.
Sheriff Dupnik received scorn and criticism for his remarks from Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzenski, and Willie Geist on Morning Joe which airs 6-9 AM EST on guess which network...MSNBC!!
All the rhetoric was done for some kind of political gain. Unfortunately, they chose to sidestep the real issue, which was undiagnosed and untreated mental illness.
Do I think there's too much rhetoric in general? Or that this young man immersed himself in it? Yes.
But, the bottom line his action was propelled by delusional thoughts.
Until we start talking about mental illness and not all the rhetoric, the stigma on mental health will remain!
WHAT?!?!? I think I need to reread this, but I've already read it three times in disbelief. Did my father just say something nice about Obama? Whoda thunk it
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