Assassination attempt on Arizona congresswoman

[Spider-Dan]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/08/arizona.shooting/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

A man opened fire at a town hall held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) this morning, killing 6 and seriously wounding Rep. Giffords (she is currently stable after being shot in the head).  A second man is being pursued in connection with this shooting.

Do you think this event will have any effect on the nature of the rhetoric in some of the political opinion outlets?  Notably, Giffords' district was one of those in the crosshairs (literally) of Sarah Palin's target list for November (a graphic that was decried as fomenting violence):



As I recall, after the passage of the healthcare bill in March, there was some violence (e.g. bricks thrown through windows) at several Democratic congressional offices, but that did not seem to have any substantial effect on calming the talk of "2nd Amendment remedies," "the tree of liberty needs to be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants," and the like.

As an interesting side note, just last year Arizona enacted a law making it the third state (joining Alaska and Vermont) to allow concealed carrying of weapons without a permit.

[bsmooth]

I am personally waiting to see what the investigation finds out as to the actual motivation for these individuals( since it is being reported as more than one) to commit murder.

[fyo]

Nutjobs are always going to do nutty things, regardless of what the political rhetoric is like (not saying it won't calm the rhetoric for a while, but that the causality only works in that direction).

Likewise, people (media, politicians) will always find something to blame, be it computer games, role playing games, movies, or some other nutjob's political "hit list".

[Dave Gray]

I didn't know that there was a 2nd person involved.  Before I rush to determine the cause of this, I'd like to wait on some more information to surface.  However, if it is indeed a political killing, people have been warning about this for a while now.  You can't make people think that people of the other party are going to lead to the ruin of civilization and then be surprised when someone actually steps up to physically stop them.

It will probably cool down the heavy rhetoric for a while and then start up again.

[StL FinFan]

The media is looking for a reason, but we don't have one yet.  After reading what people who knew the shooter said about him, it didn't seem he had a clear agenda, at least not one that he talked about.

[CF DolFan]

I realize certain high profile people have always been in danger but it gets worse all the time. Whenever people feel desperate they think they might as well go out with a bang ... no pun intended, and anyone they feel ever slighted them is in danger.

I wonder how many people would have thought in 1980 that we would soon have armed security in churches, clinics, hospitals, schools, and and 4 hour waits to get on an airplane because of security checks. I can't imagine where we will be, security wise, in another 20-30 years.

[Frimp]

I realize certain high profile people have always been in danger but it gets worse all the time. Whenever people feel desperate they think they might as well go out with a bang ... no pun intended, and anyone they feel ever slighted them is in danger.

I wonder how many people would have thought in 1980 that we would soon have armed security in churches, clinics, hospitals, schools, and and 4 hour waits to get on an airplane because of security checks. I can't imagine where we will be, security wise, in another 20-30 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G6URhJTvVg
George Carlin nailed it

[Dave Gray]

^ Which part?  It was an 8 minute clip that started with Carlin talking about airport security.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G6URhJTvVg
George Carlin nailed it

Do realize this was recorded prior to 9/11/01?

[Frimp]

Yes..I watched it on HBO when it premiered.

[Frimp]

^ Which part?  It was an 8 minute clip that started with Carlin talking about airport security.

Toward the end...He talks about what is happening now, except this aired in 1998.

[CF DolFan]

I didn't watch the whole thing but from what I gathered  he complained about having to do security checks because terrorists don't bring bombs on planes and then went on to point out all of the other "weapons" allowed on planes.

I realize his point was to be funny but he really was pointing out the flaws of the system.