AZ Shootings
~posted on FB as well~
I have been thinking about the shooting in AZ a lot. On the one hand, the more evidence that comes out, the more this person is showing to be a complete lunatic. Several of his postings and rants that are coming out are quoting all over the spectrum. He is not coming across as a "right wing nutjob"...but also not a "left wing wingnut" either. He quotes from both sides, Marx as well as Mein Kampf. (By the way, for those on the right that are taking the idea that he is a communist and then showing he quoted Mein Kampf as proof of this....please go read a frickin book...sigh).
Do I blame Sara Palin or Rush or Hannity for putting a gun in to this guys hands? No. I don't. That would be taking a leap from what I can see....this person acted alone on their own deluded ideas....however....
Do I see the words and actions of some on the far right as having made the environment such that it was now acceptable to use phrases such as "targeting" or "second amendment solution" to the problems of dealing with those on the left? Yeah....I do. And there is some of it on the left as well...but not nearly to the amount that is being shown on the right. We do not see people showing up to Democratic rallies carrying semi-automatic weapons. Does someone have the right to do that? Depending on the location, sure. Does not make it a wise thing to do.
This person is bugfuck crazy. Not left, not right. Just nuts. And unfortunately, he found a way to express that paranoia and delusion in a rather violent manner that cost several people their lives. This is a horrible thing. I would like to think we can all agree on at least that.
I would also once again hope that we can all take a step back and use this as a reason to tone the rhetoric down. We may not all agree on things, but we are ALL Americans and we should be able to talk like adults. Not shouting, not degrading each other, not threatening....and for God's sake, not shooting each other. Please....I don't ask for much...but being civilized human beings is a good start.
Can we try that for a bit? Please?
I have been thinking about the shooting in AZ a lot. On the one hand, the more evidence that comes out, the more this person is showing to be a complete lunatic. Several of his postings and rants that are coming out are quoting all over the spectrum. He is not coming across as a "right wing nutjob"...but also not a "left wing wingnut" either. He quotes from both sides, Marx as well as Mein Kampf. (By the way, for those on the right that are taking the idea that he is a communist and then showing he quoted Mein Kampf as proof of this....please go read a frickin book...sigh).
Do I blame Sara Palin or Rush or Hannity for putting a gun in to this guys hands? No. I don't. That would be taking a leap from what I can see....this person acted alone on their own deluded ideas....however....
Do I see the words and actions of some on the far right as having made the environment such that it was now acceptable to use phrases such as "targeting" or "second amendment solution" to the problems of dealing with those on the left? Yeah....I do. And there is some of it on the left as well...but not nearly to the amount that is being shown on the right. We do not see people showing up to Democratic rallies carrying semi-automatic weapons. Does someone have the right to do that? Depending on the location, sure. Does not make it a wise thing to do.
This person is bugfuck crazy. Not left, not right. Just nuts. And unfortunately, he found a way to express that paranoia and delusion in a rather violent manner that cost several people their lives. This is a horrible thing. I would like to think we can all agree on at least that.
I would also once again hope that we can all take a step back and use this as a reason to tone the rhetoric down. We may not all agree on things, but we are ALL Americans and we should be able to talk like adults. Not shouting, not degrading each other, not threatening....and for God's sake, not shooting each other. Please....I don't ask for much...but being civilized human beings is a good start.
Can we try that for a bit? Please?