News of the Day: 01/10/2011 - Arizona Shooting

This weekend in Tuscon, Arizona Jared Loughner went to an event for Congressional Representative Gabrielle Giffords.  The end result six people dead, including a federal judge, and twenty or more injured, including the Giffords.  Here is what bothers me the most about this story; accusations immediately get thrown by the mainstream media that some group or person is to blame other than the man who committed the crime.

As usual a group (the Tea Party, conservatives, the GOP) or a popular individual (Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly) is blamed for the tragic events because of their "hateful rhetoric."  The main stream media always throws that accusation out without ANY proof of said rhetoric on the right.  No one has called for the deaths of duly elected senators or representatives, but if you use the word targeted you must be talking about using guns to take them out.  What specific hateful rhetoric are they referring to?  Stop the government take over of the health insurance industry.  Stop spending us into more and more debt.  Elect a new representative to this district in the upcoming election.

This article from the New York Times by Paul Krugman says it all.  He automatically assumes it is a political motivated.  He even went so far as to assume that the guy was a Tea Partier or drew inspiration from Sarah Palin's "cross hairs" list.  Where is the proof of these accusation?

This video shows the thoughts of many in the mainstream media about the GOP, the political right or anyone who is a conservative and here again he provides no proof to such statements.

By the way Mr. Robinson, the political right in this country is not anti-government, but in favor limited government.

In fact, Keith Olberman did a special comment this past week where he asked Glenn Beck to appologize for his rhetoric.  The problem is that Beck specifically has said that violence will destroy the Republic.  Back in April 2010, he called for all of his listeners, viewers, and supporters to take the pledge of non-violence used by Martin Luther King, Jr. and his followers.  Here is Glenn saying it specifically on the air on his television program.

Meanwhile on the other side of the political spectrum you see countless example of violent rhetoric being spewed out of their mouths.  Take for example the words of all of these people on the political left calling for violent protest and riots in America.

Sorry got on a bit of tangent there but back to the main idea of this article.  The blaming of one group or individual for the actions of another.

No one should not draw conclusions from the actions of one person that a group or another person influenced them to do such a thing, until solid proof is given to support that fact whether it be blaming Glenn Beck and the Tea Party for crazy people who may be in their ranks.  Or blaming all Muslims, especially those who want to live in the United States peacefully, for the attacks of September 11th.  Does everyone remember what you do when you assume?  You make an a** out of you and me.  Can everyone stop blaming everyone else for the actions of the crazy people out their.

We should all take a page of out of Glenn Beck's book who made a very good response to the attacks this Monday and issued a challenge.  I won't put it all up here but here is his challenge:

I challenge all Americans, left or right, regardless if you’re a politician, pundit, painter, priest, parishioner, poet or porn star to agree with all of the following.

I denounce violence, regardless of ideological motivation.

I denounce anyone, from the Left, the Right or middle, who believes physical violence is the answer to whatever they feel is wrong with our country.

I denounce those who wish to tear down our system and rebuild it in their own image, whatever that image may be.

I denounce those from the Left, the Right or middle, who call for riots and violence as an opportunity to bring down and reconstruct our system.

I denounce violent threats and calls for the destruction of our system – regardless of their underlying ideology – whether they come from the Hutaree Militia or Frances Fox Piven.

I hold those responsible for the violence, responsible for the violence.  I denounce those who attempt to blame political opponents for the acts of madmen.

I denounce those from the Left, the Right or middle that sees violence as a viable alternative to our long established system of change made within the constraints of our constitutional Republic.

I will stand with anyone willing to sign that pledge.  Today I make a personal choice.  I urge leaders of both sides and all walks of life to join me as all Americans joined hands on 9.12.2001.

Those are my thoughts on the events that transpired past coming weekend.  Questions?  Comments?  Concerns?

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