- Image via Wikipedia
Updates are throughout… It is a hodge podge of stories and thoughts.
The President’s statement.
Jared Laughner (or Jared Loughner) is the main suspect.
NPR is reporting that she and 6 more have died. Reuters is confirming. One sheriff’s office is reporting that she is dead, but the live news report on MSNBC at the moment is reporting that she is alive.
Fortunately, the Congresswoman is living and the former Surgeon General has said that she can survive, but that it will be a difficult process of recovery.
Sheriff Clarence Dupnik lays blame at the feet of inflammatory rhetoric from news media. Dupnik is also known for his stand on Arizona’s controversial immigration law.
Raw video of the aftermath.
Sarah Palin’s Hit List. “Don’t retreat–reload”. How’s that shooty, killy thing workin’ out for ya, Sarah?
Of course…. it seems that Liberals have gotten into the act in the past with targeting campaigns.
We have lost a lot of the reasonableness which we are supposed to have in our system of government. Both sides are guilty to some extent. Of course, it may be simply that he was a mentally deranged individual.
Pray for her family – pray for our country.
U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head outside a grocery store in Tucson while holding a public event, U.S. National Public Radio reported Saturday.
At least three of her staff members were also shot by an unidentified gunman who ran up and began shooting indiscriminately, according to media reports. (here)
The Comments posted at the Foxnews Story shows the utter depravity of our ‘Christian’ nation. Many are excusing this as okay – some are blaming illegals – some are blaming the President.
Gawker is reporting a first person account.
FreeRepublic.com has gone down, and according to some reports, was crashed by celebrating Tea Partiers
She was threatened and her office attacked in the wake of the health care vote. She was on Sarah Palin’s target list for the last election.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
She was the first Jewish woman elected as well as the third Arizona woman elected to the House.
This image appeared on Giffords’ opponent Jesse Kelly’s web site:
Related articles
- Gabrielle Giffords votes against Nancy Pelosi (blogs.jta.org)
- Sheriff Clarence Dupnik: Arizona ‘Mecca For Prejudice & Bigotry’ (huffingtonpost.com)
- Arizona Shooting Spree Will Likely Alter American Politics (themoderatevoice.com)
- Gabrielle Giffords shot in Arizona – Sarah Palin ‘has blood on her hands’ (archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com)
- Sheriff: Tucson shootings highlight bigotry, anger (cnn.com)
- Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Target Of Previous Political Threats, Known For Magnetic Personality (huffingtonpost.com)
Joel L. Watts holds a Masters of Arts from United Theological Seminary with a focus in literary and rhetorical criticism of the New Testament. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific discoveries of the past century. He is the author of Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark: Introduction and Commentary (Wipf and Stock, 2013) and a co-editor and contributor to From Fear to Faith: Stories of Hitting Spiritual Walls (Energion, 2013).
Website: → Unsettled Christianity
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What a disgusting display of complete disregard for our nation and our representative democracy. Fox News’ commenters are hailing the shooter as a patriot, when the ramifications of this murderous act is pure domestic terrorism and prevents our elected leaders from interacting with their constituents.
How sad. How truly sad for the victims and their families, and also for our nation.
But I can’t help but think that this was an inevitability of the Tea Party movement and the arms race that occurred in the Republican Party after the election of President Obama.
You’re an ‘wonderful person’, Robert. How in the world is this connected to the Tea Party, Republicans, or Christians (Joel’s implication)?
No, Jeff – that is not my implication. I’ve edited your comment to reflect what I am sure is your proper meaning. My implication is that Christians wouldn’t speak the way that they have on Foxnews nor would Christians be happy about this.
I don’t appreciate your modification, Joel. I meant what I said, and, if you won’t publish it as is, don’t publish it at all. One perjorative is no worse than another.
Actually, it is Jeff. I don’t like vulgarity and your words are vulgar. Profane. Will not accept it.
I merely refered to him by way of a commonly used body part. Being that the etymologies of vulgar and profane are both found in the idea of “common,” then, yeah, I guess your right.
Sure, Jeff, you could go that route if you want. But, safe to say, I consider it vulgar and profane language and as it is my blog, I’m not going to allow it.
THIS IS HOW: http://is.gd/knL7Z
Didn’t Palin make a comment something along the lines of Don’t Retreat-Reload?
Yup and Sharon Angle recommended second amendment remedies.
The Sheriff’s office is confirming it now.
U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona and six others have died after a gunman opened fire at a public event on Saturday, Pima County sheriff’s office in Arizona confirmed to National Public Radio. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40978517/ns/politics/
There’s conflicting reports all over the interweb. NPR says she was killed, but I can’t find confirmation anywhere else.
Reuters is confirming it and I believe Huffpost has a story up. It was initially reported at Fox – but removed in the meantime. Now… Reuters and NPR
Pray for the country, yes.
And weep.
Because if this is what we’ve come to, then it’s all over. We’re a Third World junta waiting to happen.
Instead of abiding by legitimate elections, we’re going to turn to “Second Amendment remedies” in the name of saving the country.
I wish that I believed it was going to turn out to be a spurned lover or something.
Like
I no longer have the stomach for the Fox News audience reactions. I’ll take your word for the garbage I’d find there. I’ve seen it before.
I was perusing the NPR comments, and couldn’t believe how many were removed by moderators. Utter depravity, indeed.
Too many, Ken.
The audience reactions have little to do with either FoxNews or NPR, so it would be nice if people would quit attributing these kinds of actions to either party or political leaning.
Actually – the audience feels comfortable releasing those comments on Foxnews because that’s what they know Fox represents. Further, they believe that every forum is a forum in which to express utter depravity.
So what’s the excuse for NPR comments?
Note what I said -
Ummm … take the chip off your shoulder, Jeff.
How about if I attribute these comments to the people who wave guns around at political rallies, talk about the need to water the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants, call Democrats usurpers who hate the US, and call for “Second Amendment remedies”?
Or, you could look at my comment and see that I didn’t attribute nasty comments to any group.
In truth, I was referring to the fact that Fox attracts gutter-dwellers to its forum, and that these people now show up everywhere.
I made no reference to a political party. If you read it into my comment, maybe that’s your conscience bothering you.
“I didn’t attribute nasty comments to any group” you say, and then refer to “gutterdwellers” on the Fox forum. And, we all know that the constant reference to “Fox” is directed towards conservatives and Republicans.
These kinds of comments, that you all rail against, are everywhere in the internet forums. Wake up and smell the coffee. Then, grow up and quit getting bent out of shape over words.
Group=GOP/Tea Party
gutterdwellers = those who feel comfortable enough to laugh when someone is shot.
There some gutterdwellers are in the GOP/Tea Party, not all GOP/Tea Party members are gutter dwellers.
I simply have no clue as to why I have to explain basic conversational points to you, Jeff.
By the way, our country, love it or hate it, was founded with guns, watering the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants, and second ammendment remedies. Those actions will continue as long as men and women seek to be free from those who seek to enslave them. (I’m not suggesting that the actions of the gunman today was anything of the sort.)
Yes, because there is nothing that says Jesus Christ like guns, bloodshed and threats. By the way, your quote is out of context http://americancreation.blogspot.com/2009/08/jeffersons-tree-of-liberty-quote-in.html
You might do well to learn history better than you have. Of course, that goes for your take on Scripture too, Jeff.
I was simply replying to Ken’s statement, Joel. I wasn’t quoting anything but him.
And what exactly is my take on scripture that you find so lacking? I thought we were talking politics here.
It carries over, Jeff, it carries over…
The comments are mostly disgusting. Whatever happened to compassion for the grieving and a call for justice and healing? Rather, there is demonization, sensationalism, and an increase in paranoia and polarization.
Used to be when tragedy struck people stuck together despite their differences. I don’t suspect that this is lost, entirely, however. I doubt that the majority of the conservatives have anything but disgust for what has happened and hardly see it as an excusable expression of disagreement with liberal politics.
I suppose when one stares into the abyss of Fox, it stares back.
In reading some of those comments before they were flagged or moderated… I have to wonder if the last few years has completely destroyed our ability to have compassion for one another…
Like. Well, you know…”Agree.”
What planet are all of you from? And, I thought most of you, Robert excluded, have at least an elementary understanding of the truths of scripture. None of this is new–the actions of the gunman, the reactions of others, the accusations. It has all been around for thousands of years.
Get a grip!
Earth, last time I checked, why?
True – but like Germans in the 30′s, people can be incited. Duh.
Look at you, bearing false witness… Hmm, I think I read that in a book somewhere…must have been in elementary school, or when I was in seminary. You don’t know me, so save yourself the trouble and avoid the ad hominem.
Then, I guess your unexcused for your ignorant comments as well, Robert.
And, Joel, who incited this gunman. Do you even know who he is and what his political views are?
Jeff, why aren’t you excused for your illiteracy?
Anyway, while attempting to ignore your depraved attempts at being unChristian, I’ll try to answer your questions, when I feel that they are worth answering. Thanks.
Illiteracy? Did I spell something wrong? Or, is that simply one of your “acceptable” perjoratives to throw against those you find disgusting.
You see, none of us are really that much different than the rest. Its just that some consider themselves “righteous” with their comments and slurs while others they consider “vulgar and profane.”
Jeff, I cannot help that you are stuck on the fact that 1.) I don’t want profanity on my blog and 2.) you cannot tell the difference.
By the way, Joel, you have this less than flatering habit of refusing to answer the questions of others. I’m not refering simply to some of mine, but have noticed this recurring frequently against commenters who question you.
Um, what? More lying, I reckon.
Whatever, Joel.
[...] to give the HT to Joel. Thanks for bringing this to our [...]
How is it that this “TARGETING MAP” by the Democratic Leadership Committee (dated 2004 during the Bush years) any different? http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=253055&kaid=127&subid=171
Greg – not sure which Democrat accompanied that map with the notion of ‘don’t retreat, reload’ and ‘second amendment remedies.’