Click here for more opinions
Time to take a long, hard look in the mirror, America - Comments (0)
Derrick Martin - 1/14/2011
I'm not prepared to say that Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh had anything to do with the recent tragedy that unfolded in Tuscon, Arizona.
But then again, I'm not prepared to say that the right-wing lunatic fringe had nothing to do with it either.
No one can deny that much of the rhetoric that comes to you sponsored by that farcical excuse for a so-called news organization called Fox News contains passive aggressive references advocating the use of violence.
Often veiled. Often not. But obvious to anyone who is capable of reading between the lines.
Jesse Kelly, the Tea Party candidate who ran against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, held more than a few campaign events that allowed supporters to shoot an M16 at a shooting range under a banner that read, “Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office.”
Gee. No missing that inference.
And everyone, by now, already knows about Sarah Palin's “cross-hairs” map that identified various members of Congress who voted for health care reform.
Cong. Giffords was on that list. She had the cross-hairs put on her by Palin. Toss in all the Tea Party references to “Second Amendment solutions” to “fixing the problems with Congress” and the idea isn't totally lost on people.
Sarah did release a statement saying she was “shocked” and “saddened” by the events involving Cong. Giffords. Sorry Sarah. But those horses left Tuscon and are halfway to Flagstaff. Closing the gate now doesn't do anything.
To add insult to injury, Palin's spokesman said that the cross-hairs on the map weren't from a gun. Rather, they were from a surveyor's scope.
Really? How stupid do you think we are? I mean, really?
Sarah did say awhile back, “Don't retreat. Reload!” when talking about how Congress should be fixed. So how do you reload a surveyor's scope, Sarah? I'd be interested in knowing.
Sean Hannity has been linked to more freaks than a traveling carnival. His best friend, Hal Turner, encouraged people to use “threats and violence” against Paul Ash, a school superintendent in Massachusetts who had the audacity to approve new curriculum that taught diversity.
Hannity's response? “Way to go, friend!”
Glenn Beck has joked about putting poison in Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's drink. He has also joked that CNN host Fareed Zakaria as well as some guy named Barack Obama should be assassinated.
As for Rush Limbaugh? There ain't enough ink on this planet to recap even half of the cockeyed horse crap that has come out of his mouth over the years.
There is no doubt that the Tuscon shooter, Jared Loughner, is clearly insane. But that's not the point.
When John Hinckley, Jr. tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1981, he claimed he was just responding to the voices in his head. Is it just too much for some people to grasp that some insane individual might listen to the voices of Palin, Hannity, Beck and Limbaugh and decide to do something nuts?
I don't think so.
I want to be clear about one thing: I'm not blaming the right-wing crazies for this tragedy. But it does give pause. We've been heading down this road for awhile now. Do we really want to keep going the way we are and have been?
Are we really going to continue to tolerate people who say, “If our guy/gal wins, what a wonderful system, country and Constitution we have! If our guy/gal loses, we're going to suggest that our listeners harm or even kill you.”
Sadly, however, it seems like both sides (as if it were just another knee-jerk reaction) are taking sides and using the issue to pursue their own political agendas.
The left has already called for more gun control. That will fix nothing.
The right has come out swinging. They refuse to take any heat over this incident. Personally, I just want them to choose their words more carefully. This isn't a joke anymore. How could it be?
It's time to look in the mirror, America. I understand a lot of people want various types of change in this country. But...
Our media system is broken. Voter turnout for federal elections hovers around 50 percent. The government has (for years) made it increasingly difficult to access information as to what they're up to. Civility amongst not just politicians, but also with each other, is at a significant low point.
And yet, some people would rather stand around the water cooler with their coworkers and joke about “Second Amendment solutions” to fixing our country.
Yeah...that'll solve the problem.
|
