US Rep. Giffords (Arizona 8) shot along with others at Tucson AZ event, fatalities...

[victory sabre]

*Duplicate threads merged.

My first thread started at this site is a tragic one. US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona 8) was shot in the head today. There are conflicting reports if she's alive or dead. This is a totally disgusting act, and I hope that the perps. face the most severe punishment possible. I also wish for recovery, if she's still alive, or offer my condolences to her family if she passed away.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefi...t-public-event

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

U.S. Congresswoman shot along with others at Tucson AZ event, fatalities...

Democratic Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at a political event outside a Safeway in Tuscon, AZ earlier today.

Giffords is alive and in critical condition following emergency surgery. Of those shot, several others are in critical condition and two have died, a 9 year old boy and a U.S. Federal judge.

The shooter is 22 year old Jared Lee Laughner who, based upon his writings, appears to be an anti-government type, is in custody.

Information is still coming in at this time.

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This just breaks my heart. The sad part is I knew this kind of violence would come, it was just a matter of when.

I truly hope this was an isolated incident and not the beginning of a larger backlash.

Sickeningly, there are folks on right wing websites celebrating the attack and the man who carried it out.

Sometimes I weep for America.

[Frantic Freddie]

Show me where they're celebrating the shooting.

All evidence so far points to the scumbag being a nutjob.

The Tea Party & Palin are being blamed,but Rep.Giffords has an A+ rating from the NRA & opposes illegal immigration,not exactly positions either the Tea Party or Palin have any problem with.

As far as violence,google Kenneth Gladley.

[crashhelmet]

Show me where they're celebrating the shooting.

All evidence so far points to the scumbag being a nutjob.

The Tea Party & Palin are being blamed,but Rep.Giffords has an A+ rating from the NRA & opposes illegal immigration,not exactly positions either the Tea Party or Palin have any problem with.

As far as violence,google Kenneth Gladley.

How about this one? Linked to by Republicanifi.com

[Sarah Valentine]

That's terrible, it's really horrible that wacko opened fire on the congress woman and those innocent people. I truly hope he gets the death penalty for killing that little boy and the judge.

[Hyena Dandy]

Its disgusting that a woman being shot is celebrated. Its disgusting that people celebrate this. Lone nut job or not, this should NOT be celebrated. A woman was shot. A young boy was killed, as was a judge. I'm a conservative.

I'm no fan of hers. But I am disgusted. I'm disgusted that this happened, and I'm even more disgusted that there are people who celebrate this.

[Ipecac Drano]

A friend of mine on my forum has been taking it hard, especially since he's been supporting her.

My condolences go out to the victims and their families.

[Andara Bledin]

Current reports list 18 people shot, 6 fatally. Giffords is among the wounded and her outlook is listed as "optimistic" as she is responding to doctors after undergoing surgery. Of the dead, there are the little girl and District Judge John M. Roll as well as one of Giffords' staff.

An Arizona sheriff claims the shooter had an accomplice and that they have a photo of said individual who they are now seeking. Another report lists a second individual in custody.

Obama has set the director of the FBI on this, which is only proper.

I would very much like to see some official backlash against the inciteful rhetoric so common in today's political statements.

^-.-^

[FArchivist]

Current information known:

The shooter is one Jared Laughner. Here is what has been confirmed about him:
- The United States Army has released a statement saying "The Army has confirmed that the suspect was never in the Army. He attempted to enlist in the Army but was rejected for service. In accordance with the Privacy Act, we will not discuss why he was rejected."
- He seems to be pretty crazycakes, as his Youtube channel shows.
- Here's a picture of the shooter.
- The worst part? The FBI thinks he wasn't working alone. While they are currently searching for the known accomplice, there is speculation that there may be group affiliations of some sort. No hard data right now, of course; too early to say. I'm hoping it's just the one accomplice.

To further political discussion, while it is evident that the assassin had a screw loose (OK, evident to me anyway.), politicians are really taking the heat for violent rhetoric used in the past year. An example is Gifford's opponent in the previous election, who issued an ad saying "Get on Target for Victory in November. Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly." That ad is looking very very unfortunate right now.

Sarah Palin has also been taken to task. She has deleted the following items from her website and Twitter:





Again, the map with the targets is very very unfortunate-looking right now. Trying to bahleet them from the interwebs doesn't look so hot either. She's also been scrubbing her FB page of any comments that don't look good for her. What's really damning Sarah Palin is that she did not issue an apology till AFTER she scrubbed her website, FB, and Twitter of all this information. Spin before condolences...not savory.

Also, Angle in NV is getting slammed for her talk about "Second Amendment remedies" and is refusing to comment as to if this is what she meant.

This is very, very sad. Unfortunately, political assassination is not uncommon in the USA in recent years, though mostly focused on the state and local level.

[Hyena Dandy]

Well, I take some comfort that the guy evidently wasn't a cray conservative. It shouldn't, but it makes me feel better, as a conservative. Not that I'm saying that makes it any less tragic. I was just worried tihs was some sort of prelude to a revolution or something.

That said. All that militant commentary has upset me for quite a while... Its been terrible... I've been afraid of a revolution for quite a while, and I was worried, this was some set-up to a revolution. If people tone down that rhetoric, that might keep this as an isolated incident.

So I'm comforted that this isn't some sort of organized revolution. I hope some good comes out of it. But no amount of calmed rhetoric is worth six human lives.

[Skelly]

My mildly conservative/libertarian self is disgusted about the people celebrating that she got shot. Animals!
As for the shooter, I hope they hang him .

[victory sabre]

I'd like to thank Ree for merging the threads. Since it was my first post here, the thread I posted needed approval. That's why there were 2 threads for a time.

There looks to be some positive news on Rep. Giffords condition. She has shown signs of being able to follow commands. Now the main worry is brain swelling. I'm sure as heck pulling for her recovery. That is really one of the 3 main concerns now. That and my thoughts to the families of those murdered. The final concern is that the slimeball who did this gets punished quickly and severely.

[smileyeagle1021]

I was just worried tihs was some sort of prelude to a revolution or something.

Who says this isn't a prelude... one lone man, no matter what their political affiliation, can start an unstopable chain of events. I know at least three people who are buying guns now for self defense who a month ago would never consider owning guns... hell, I'm considering one, with this and the reaction to it, I don't know how long as a gay liberal I will survive in one of the most conservative states in the nation.

As for the shooter, I hope they hang him .

I do think a firing squad would be more appropriate... just saying.

[Andara Bledin]

Giffords' survival is a near certainty at this point, but how much she will recover is still very uncertain. She was responsive when they checked, but currently in a medically induced coma to help reduce any further swelling, which is the greatest danger at this point. She should be out of danger by the end of the week.

From the mother of the youngest victim, Christina Green:

Her mother, Roxanna Green said that she hoped that her daughter’s death would “bring not only justice in the jailing of her attacker but also a national awareness of the cost of a venomous political dialogue.”

Another article has a quote from Giffords from earlier last year:

In March 2010, Rep. Giffords, after her office was vandalized, threats were received and her name and district were identified by Sarah Palin in her infamous ‘crosshairs’ comment, said: "Sarah Palin has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district and when people do that, they've got to realize there are consequences to that action."

Here's a link to a letter hosted at TPM (Talking Points Media) from David Brock, founder and CEO of Media Matters for America to Rupert Murdoch of Fox calling for him to rein in the vitriol of those who work for him. The letter opens by commenting that Brock has been warning Murdoch about the results of such rhetoric since early 2009.

Media Matters Letter Calling On Murdoch To Rein In Palin

^-.-^

[AdminAssistant]

Also, Keith Olbermann speaking out about political rhetoric, even taking responsibility for some of his own comments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq38Nnf4pOw