"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts." ~ John Locke
Even before the news media knew the extent of the recent shooting spree in Tucson, the first non-news commentary I read was an indirect indictment of the entire Conservative movement, and a direct accusation that Sarah Palin was to blame.
While the news media was still erroneously reporting the death of Democrat Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the lefties had already concluded that the deranged shooter was a right wing looney, heavily influenced by the hateful, bigoted rhetoric emanating from the vicious, unbalanced, hate filled, bigoted, homophobic Tea Party.
Then, with the news that Democrat Congresswoman had not died, but Judge John Roll had, we heard Glenn Beck was to blame, too.
Other speculation posited that Judge Roll had been appointed to the bench by George H. W. Bush, and was a Republican, and if he had been the primary target of the day's shooting spree, that might indicate the shooter is a Liberal.
For the record:
The man who carried out the horrendous murders in Tucson, Arizona Saturday was a mentally unstable individual who would have been just as negatively influenced by a bruise on an apple as by any political movement or ideology. From what I've read about him, he was just anti-government, regardless of whether the government espoused Conservative or Liberal values. In short, he was simply a homicidal nut.
No one could have predicted his actions. No one could have stopped him.
As far as I know, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin were not present.
In my humble opinion, the media itself is as much, or more to blame for this shooting spree as any one previously named.
It is the media that selectively edits news stories and interviews to portray events in the most sensational way. It is they who highlight the negative and play down the positive in the news stories they present. It is the media that put a spin on the stories and interviews they choose to air or write about. And, I'm not excluding FOX news from this indictment. They also are guilty of coloring much of their programming with an ideological crayon.
(Incidentally, why do you suppose the media finds it necessary to point out, ad nauseum, that the Congresswoman, who survived, is a Democrat, but the party affiliation of the Judge, who died, is not mentioned?)
But, no, the media did not put the gun in Jared Loughner's bloody hands. They did not incite his violence. They merely put their opinion out there, and sensationalized it, and that did what it was intended to do: Affect emotions.
Those emotions, coupled with an unbalanced mind created the situation that eventually became the tragedy in Tucson.
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21 comments:
Mark: As usual, excellent post.
Yes, the media plays up the negative, because heck, who wants to hear about puppies, rainbows, and lollypops? People would rather feel like they aren't alone in their misery! **rolls eyes**
I can barely watch the news for all of its spinning, and that's why I prefer to get mine off the net; it gives me a wider range and I feel like I have more control.
I digress. Yes, Loughner was disturbed, to put it politely. And he alone was responsible, period. However, people will continue to spin situations like this, trying to find "reasons" and place the blame other than where it rightfully belongs--with the perpetrator.
"Incidentally, why do you suppose the media finds it necessary to point out, ad nauseum, that the Congresswoman, who survived, is a Democrat, but the party affiliation of the Judge, who died, is not mentioned?"
I'm not sure this is necessarily true. However, the party affiliation of Giffords is relevant to who she is, her political positions and motivations, and political philosophy. As a federal judge, party affiliation should be not relevant as a judge should not be politically motivated.
For the record, I do believe the blaming here is over the top and not useful. We don't know the motivations of the shooter yet, maybe never will. But is unlikely that there is a direct correlation between his actions and the words of public figures.
That said, how would YOU interpret "second amendment remedies"?
Who kidnapped "Jim" and is posting logical thoughts in his name???????
Hey Jim, when have Liberals ever let the fact that a Judge is impartial stop them from accusing them of being biased?
What about Clarence Thomas? You think he's biased? Of course you do. What about Ruth Ginzberg? You think she's biased? Of course you don't.
What's the difference? He's a Conservative and she's a crazed Liberal. That's all it takes for a Liberal to label a judge biased.
Thanks, Rick. It's me.
Mark, your comment, on the other hand, is pure nonsense. And unnecessary. A judge may or may not have a bias but the good ones rule according to the law and precedent in spite of any bias they may have. Neither you nor I can prove that either Thomas or Ginzberg has ever ruled incorrectly because of bias (Bush v. Gore not withstanding).
I believe that it is the right who is quick to jump on the bias bandwagon when decisions don't go their way. CA prop 8 and Judge Walker?
And to add insult to injury, the "memorial service" turned into a democrat pep rally. Who cheers, whistles, gives standing ovations and hoots at a memorial service??? Democrats. That is exactly what they did at the Paul Wellstone "memorial service." Apparently, you can't get two or more liberals together without it turning into a campaign rally. Did you ever go to a fight and see a hockey game break out??
I do believe that liberals' emotional development stops at the age of 16.
Oooo, I think I'll add that to my list of talking points.
Well, garsh, when I agaree with "Jim" i'm not "Dick".
Most democrats have no class.
How on earth can the Ranger believe that liberals emotional development goes as high as 16? Look at Pelosi--she has to be at around 9.
help! I am the real Jim. my dad is punishing me for being bad and stole my computer and was posting in my name. Dick, I'm still the same illogical moron you've come to love to hate....
I put the age at 16, because when I was that age, 9-year-olds did not know how to type. And in today's public school system, it's lucky if they know how to read.
Of course, the Right is not to blame for the shootings in Tucson. The Left really exposed themselves for what they are when they leaped onto the blame bandwagon.
No one could have predicted his actions. No one could have stopped him.
I'm not so sure that he couldn't have been stopped -- or at least his mental health issues addressed. Loughner was giving plenty of signs that he was having, at the least, a meltdown.
7, 8, 8, 10. Took LR that long for to bring up the Wellstone Memorial.
Obviously you didn't watch and/or only listened to the right wing spin.
If you watched, you would have seen that Napolitano and Holder did no more than read from the Bible. Obama did not say one partisan or political word.
Just so happens that the event was planned by the University of Arizona and held in their gym. The gym was filled with something like 14,000 college kids. They cheered for the president. There was nothing political for them to be "peppy" about.
Since none of the primary speakers said anything political, there is no way that ANYONE could legitimately call it a political rally.
FAIL.
Rick, it's not that you agreed with me. I wouldn't expect that. It's that you didn't act like a dick when you addressed or referred to me.
Oohh, lookie here. One of the left-wing victims of the Tucson massacre threatens to kill a Tea party member. Do you think, Jim, that the media is going to blame left-wing hate-speech for this guy's murderous comments??? Oh, that's right. Liberals don't think, they feel.
As a 24-year veteran of the military, I've been to more than my share of memorial services. And, I've never seen such boorish, apish behavior as was displayed at that pep rally.
"I've never seen such boorish, apish behavior as was displayed at that pep rally."
I'm so sure. But blame the kids. they were the ones cheering. Of course, feel free to site one line by any of the principle speakers that would be considered inciting "pep".
"One of the left-wing victims of the Tucson massacre"
I must have missed the part where the man arrested was identified by himself or anyone else as left-wing. And what "left-wing hate speech" are you referring to exactly?
Blame the "kids?" I'm guessing the majority of that audience were over 21. And where was the adult supervision? Why didn't Obama just raise his hand and tell them their behavior was inappropriate?
WHAT left-wing hate speech???
Try this..
Or this?
There is a reason that audience of "kids" behaved like they were at a frat party. Liberals get older, but they never grow up. And they don't learn from their mistakes, because they never admit making them.
I listened to Malkin's selected clip of Bush after Va Tech shootings. I noted that he didn't speak about acts of heroism or miracles of survival and recovery.
These are two very different speeches under different circumstances. I'm sure you and Malkin can find any reason to criticize liberals and the president. It's your passion. I'm sure you would feel uncomfortable at an Irish wake.
Your first hate speech link didn't work. As to Malkin's (always a good source for anti-anything not rabid right) examples of "left-wing hate speech", unless I missed something on the page, there were no politicians, no national political figures, no radio talk-show hosts.
You want hate speech? Here is hate speech in its most basic form:
"Liberals get older, but they never grow up. And they don't learn from their mistakes".
It's one thing to disagree with those having differing opinions and philosophies and another to paint them as somehow mentally defective.
That is hate speech only to someone who hasn't grown up.
Your SO funny!
It's "you're," not "your." See what I mean?
We don't have to paint liberals as "mentally deficient". They do quite a good job of it all by themselves.
Actually it's a total lack of basic common sense and logic that is their downfall.
And they're getting more wacky with every passing year...Pelosi and Reid are shining examples.
QED. Hate speech.
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