Tragedy in Tucson

It’s a tragedy.

Simply stated the reasons for the killings and at this point attempted assassination of Representative Giffords was because the shooter is mentally ill. There is no evidence that he was politically motivated or induced by any media, right, left, mainstream, internet or otherwise. I repeat no evidence!

The suggestions coming from a few (in my opinion) self righteous Democrats, some of the media and the President are political posturing. For the President in his Tucson, memorial, political, church speech (I am not sure what to call it) this week to call for a more civil tone approaches hypocritical and self serving. Though what the hell it’s politics.

Civil tone apparently refers to the political speech of your opponents, not yours or those you agree with. Ten years ago President elect George W. Bush called for a change in tone in Washington and you see where that went. After 911 the tone only mellowed for about 2 weeks (remember Tom Daschle hugging the President when he made his address to the Congress).

Since the November election, Democrats have been waiting and hoping for some national event to change the subject. Naturally a subject changer was inevitable. Even though no one wanted an event like the Tucson Tragedy, some embraced it and have tried to use it to take back a couple of pegs their political opponents; whether they be Congressional Republicans, Tea Partiers, Conservative Talk Show personalities or spokespersons like Sarah Palin of Mike Huckabee.

Talk of their notion of “Civility” is a direct affront not to the “organized” Tea Partiers but the hundreds of thousands of angry citizens who showed up at tax day rallies, Independence Day rallies, and Congressional Town Hall Meetings last year (when the Congress folks actually had the courage to hold them). Perhaps it’s partly the tone but I think it’s more the message. Those in power did and do not want to hear that people are made about Obamacare, Stimulus package that are nothing more than pork barrel spending, and budget deficits.

Sidebar 1 – It is often forgotten that the first call for rallies was from Rick Santelli on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange for the idea that taxpayers would have to pay for others’ mortgages. Watch and decide for yourself if this is civil discourse.



Sidebar 2 - In all the discussions (pro and con) in the last week I have not heard any suggestion from the political left who wants to find a cause other than a deranged shooter that perhaps it’s the sax and violins on our screens or some of our videogames that could be cause. Surely they won’t suggest because you don’t bite the hand (in this case Hollywood) that feeds you. I am not to keen on censorship but if you think that political speech is part of the problem you ought to look at the whole picture not just those that are your opponents. Just Sayin’