And, we're off...

[Yonivore]

Congresswoman prepares gun-control bill (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47338.html)

[Duff McCartney]

"Tragedy has been and will always be with us. Somewhere right now, evil people are planning evil things. All of us will do everything meaningful, everything we can do to prevent it, but each horrible act can’t become an axe for opportunists to cleave the very Bill of Rights that binds us. America must stop this predictable pattern of reaction. When an isolated terrible event occurs, our phones ring demanding that the NRA explain the inexplicable. Why us? Because their story needs a villain. … That is not our role in American society and we will not be forced to play it. … Now, if you disagree that’s your right, I respect that, but we will not relinquish it, or be silenced about it, or be told ‘do not come here, you are unwelcome in your own land.’ "

[baseline bum]

Gun control is retarded. If someone really wants to kill in a criminal act, then obviously the law will mean jack shit to him. If my wife and kid were gunned down in a public place, I think I'd have the opposite reaction of McCarthy: e.g., I'd wish there was a legally armed citizen that could perhaps have stopped it or at least taken out the murderer before the situation could get any worse.

[ElNono]

This one is full of fail also:

Pennsylvania Rep. Robert Brady, a Democrat from Philadelphia, told CNN that he also plans to take legislative action. He will introduce a bill that would make it a crime for anyone to use language or symbols that could be seen as threatening or violent against a federal official, including a member of Congress.

There's already laws to handle actual treats. I'm not sure what else this guy is thinking about. Maybe the Palin's crosshairs? Retarded really.

[Yonivore]

This one is full of fail also:

Pennsylvania Rep. Robert Brady, a Democrat from Philadelphia, told CNN that he also plans to take legislative action. He will introduce a bill that would make it a crime for anyone to use language or symbols that could be seen as threatening or violent against a federal official, including a member of Congress.

There's already laws to handle actual treats. I'm not sure what else this guy is thinking about. Maybe the Palin's crosshairs? Retarded really.
I guess President Obama will have to drop his "...bring a gun..." to a knife fight rhetoric as well.

[ElNono]

I think the vitriol doesn't help. From both sides.
I also agree that a mentally challenged people like that shouldn't be allowed to buy/operate firearms. Heck, I wouldn't want them even driving on the street.

The problem is that whenever control laws like this are proposed, they almost always overreach.

[boutons_deux]

Current gun laws are NOT enforced, full of loop holes and non-compliance, then there is the gun shows and private sellers.

Guns and ammo and NRA are above about $$$, not about the 2nd Amendment.

As gunned-down John Lennon sang, Happiness is a Warm Fat Wallet.

[Yonivore]

I think the vitriol doesn't help. From both sides.
That's a separate argument given there is absolutely no proof the vitriol from either side contributed to this act.



I also agree that a mentally challenged people like that shouldn't be allowed to buy/operate firearms. Heck, I wouldn't want them even driving on the street.

The problem is that whenever control laws like this are proposed, they almost always overreach.
Yep.

[ElNono]

That's a separate argument given there is absolutely no proof the vitriol from either side contributed to this act.

I don't want to circumscribe it to just this incident. The fact that people has to resort to verbal abuse, not just violence, when discussing politics, and that such behavior is encouraged almost daily, by both the media and politicians, is truly sad. An educated society should know better than that.

[Yonivore]

I don't want to circumscribe it to just this incident. The fact that people has to resort to verbal abuse, not just violence, when discussing politics, and that such behavior is encouraged almost daily, not just by the media but also politicians, is truly sad. An educated society should know better than that.
Congressmen used to duel and beat the crap out of each other in the House Chamber.

Americans used to stand in the town square and spread the most foul and vicious lies about their political opponents and politicians they hated.

As violence against public officials go, we're in a relatively mild period. Anybody remember the 60's?

The rhetoric is no where the levels it has been in the past. And, in this case, I think the Tea Party message is being characterized as hateful simply because the Left cannot respond to the arguments they're making except to say they're being hateful, that they're being racists because Obama is black, and on and on an on.

No basis for the statements. None. In fact, they tried to generated a basis when that black Congressman claimed he was spat upon and called ###### by a Tea Party crowd. Never happened.

I'm satisfied all but the most rabid leftists are seeing through this ruse.

[Giuseppe]

Congressmen used to duel and beat the crap out of each other in the House Chamber.

Americans used to stand in the town square and spread the most foul and vicious lies about their political opponents and politicians they hated.

As violence against public officials go, we're in a relatively mild period. Anybody remember the 60's?

The rhetoric is no where the levels it has been in the past. And, in this case, I think the Tea Party message is being characterized as hateful simply because the Left cannot respond to the arguments they're making except to say they're being hateful, that they're being racists because Obama is black, and on and on an on.

No basis for the statements. None. In fact, they tried to generated a basis when that black Congressman claimed he was spat upon and called ###### by a Tea Party crowd. Never happened.

I'm satisfied all but the most rabid leftists are seeing through this ruse.

Matzel, Matzel, good things.

[Yonivore]

Matzel, Matzel, good things.
Hey, Alec! You were good in "Along Came Polly."

[ElNono]

Congressmen used to duel and beat the crap out of each other in the House Chamber.

Americans used to stand in the town square and spread the most foul and vicious lies about their political opponents and politicians they hated.

As violence against public officials go, we're in a relatively mild period. Anybody remember the 60's?

The rhetoric is no where the levels it has been in the past. And, in this case, I think the Tea Party message is being characterized as hateful simply because the Left cannot respond to the arguments they're making except to say they're being hateful, that they're being racists because Obama is black, and on and on an on.

No basis for the statements. None. In fact, they tried to generated a basis when that black Congressman claimed he was spat upon and called ###### by a Tea Party crowd. Never happened.

I'm satisfied all but the most rabid leftists are seeing through this ruse.

We've evolved as a society. Or at least I would like to think we have.
You would hope that we've learned something out of the 60's, and that those episodes of violence, be it physical or otherwise, really lead you nowhere as far as building a better, more cohesive nation.

Yelling at eachother faces might relieve the contemporary anger, but it does absolutely nothing to get things done. If on top of that, some people preach that to be the answer, then we're toast.

[ChumpDumper]

I guess President Obama will have to drop his "...bring a gun..." to a knife fight rhetoric as well.Which blog gave you that one?

[ducks]

Gun control is retarded. If someone really wants to kill in a criminal act, then obviously the law will mean jack shit to him. If my wife and kid were gunned down in a public place, I think I'd have the opposite reaction of McCarthy: e.g., I'd wish there was a legally armed citizen that could perhaps have stopped it or at least taken out the murderer before the situation could get any worse.
I heard 2 people fired back at the gunman with their guns

[ducks]

I think the vitriol doesn't help. From both sides.
I also agree that a mentally challenged people like that shouldn't be allowed to buy/operate firearms. Heck, I wouldn't want them even driving on the street.

The problem is that whenever control laws like this are proposed, they almost always overreach.

they should not be but they would get guns on in black market anyhow

[ducks]

Current gun laws are enforced, full of loop holes and non-compliance, then there is the gun shows and private sellers.

Guns and ammo and NRA are above about $$$, not about the 2nd Amendment.

As gunned-down John Lennon sang, Happiness is a Warm Fat Wallet.

is making money wrong?

guns do not kill people


someone has to make money to hire people
you know without money people can not hire someone
then those people that got hired can not pay their bills to give money back to companies so they can pay their people they hire

[ducks]

Current gun laws are enforced, full of loop holes and non-compliance, then there is the gun shows and private sellers.

Guns and ammo and NRA are above about $$$, not about the 2nd Amendment.

As gunned-down John Lennon sang, Happiness is a Warm Fat Wallet.

you know what they are private selllers in selling cars to
and they can be used as weapons to
so why are you not crying about more gov on that to?

[ElNono]

they should not be but they would get guns on in black market anyhow

Then there's something broken that needs to be fixed.

[DJ Mbenga]

bleh. sure there should be a law that says dont give guns to peopel who might be out of it but i thought by now theyd exist. or did this guy get the gun illegaly?

[ElNono]

bleh. sure there should be a law that says dont give guns to peopel who might be out of it but i thought by now theyd exist. or did this guy get the gun illegaly?

The law that would have prevented him buying that gun specifically was left to expire in 2004. He could probably have purchased something else though.

There's obviously a break in the system at some point. Either the background check is not effective or somebody jumped the gun (pun intended).

[Sisk]

http://teamvella.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/1_the_right_to_bear_arms.jpg

[Stringer_Bell]

http://teamvella.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/1_the_right_to_bear_arms.jpg

:rollin omg lol i totally got that. "bear arms" like a bear bwahahaha


Rep. Brady's desired legislative move is totally stupid and nothing more than fodder for conspiracy theorists.

[Sisk]

:rollin omg lol i totally got that. "bear arms" like a bear bwahahaha


Rep. Brady's desired legislative move is totally stupid and nothing more than fodder for conspiry theorists.

good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111111111111111 11111

[redzero]

9rGpykAX1fo

She seems knowledgeable.

[Winehole23]

He will introduce a bill that would make it a crime for anyone to use language or symbols that could be seen as threatening or violent against a federal official, including a member of CongressThreatening members of the US Congress verbally is a national pastime. How dare they make it illegal.

[Winehole23]

(out of their presence of course, and most prudently not in the same US state.)

[Yonivore]

Threatening members of the US Congress verbally is a national pastime. How dare they make it illegal.
It is already illegal to threaten a member of the U. S. Congress.

[Giuseppe]

McCarthy, she's the one who didn't give a shit until her ox got gored. Like "William Wallace" in "Braveheart."

tee, hee.

[Wild Cobra]

This is stupid. I already have gun control. I hit my target, even at 300 yards.

[George Gervin's Afro]

This is stupid. I already have gun control. I hit my target, even at 300 yards.



Perfect for when you are guarding the border.

[fraga]

http://justjudyjudyjudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/sarah-palin-crazy.jpg

Hopey Changey!!!

[Winehole23]

It is already illegal to threaten a member of the U. S. Congress.Then some new law making it illegal again is clearly overkill.

[Giuseppe]

Then some new law making it illegal again is clearly overkill.

But, it'd be "for the children."

tee, hee.

[Spurminator]

It's not enough. What we also need are x-ray scanners and pat-downs at the entrance of every grocery store.

[Giuseppe]

And it'd have to written so Gov't could make a dollar & a dime off it.

[BlairForceDejuan]

George Washington doesn't do restrictions.

http://s-ak.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/terminal01/2011/1/7/17/enhanced-buzz-20717-1294438333-29.jpg

[Winehole23]

In Defense of Inflamed Rhetoric

The awesome stupidity of the calls to tamp down political speech in the wake of the Giffords shooting.

By Jack ShaferPosted Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, at 12:24 PM ET

The attempted assassination of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and the killing of six innocents outside a Tucson Safeway has bolstered the ongoing argument that when speaking of things political, we should all avoid using inflammatory rhetoric and violent imagery.


"Shooting Throws Spotlight on State of U.S. Political Rhetoric," reports CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/01/09/arizona.shooting.rhetoric/).



"Bloodshed Puts New Focus on Vitriol in Politics," states the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/us/politics/09capital.html?pagewanted=print).



Keith Olbermann clocked overtime on Saturday to deliver a commentary subtitled (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40981503/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann/) "The political rhetoric of the country must be changed to prevent acts of domestic terrorism." The home page of the Washington Post offered this headline to its story (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/08/AR2011010802422.html?hpid=topnews) about the shooting: "Rampage Casts Grim Light on U.S. Political Discord."
The lead spokesman for the anti-inflammatory movement, however, was Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, whose jurisdiction includes Tucson. Said Dupnik (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/08/giffords-had-history-with-palin-tea-party/?iref=allsearch) at a Jan. 8 press conference in answer to questions about the criminal investigation:

I'd just like to say that when you look at unbalanced people, how they are—how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths, about tearing down the government, the anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become sort of the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.



Embedded in Sheriff Dupnik's ad hoc wisdom were several assumptions. First, that strident, anti-government political views can be easily categorized as vitriolic, bigoted, and prejudicial. Second, that those voicing strident political views are guilty of issuing Manchurian Candidate (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020X88Y?ie=UTF8&tag=slatmaga-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00020X88Y)-style instructions to commit murder and mayhem to the "unbalanced." Third, that the Tucson shooter was inspired to kill by political debate or by Sarah Palin's "target" map or other inflammatory outbursts. Fourth, that we should calibrate our political speech in such a manner that we do not awaken the Manchurian candidates among us.


And, fifth, that it's a cop's role to set the proper dimensions of our political debate. Hey, Dupnik, if you've got spare time on your hands, go write somebody a ticket.
Sheriff Dupnik's political sermon came before any conclusive or even circumstantial proof had been offered that the shooter had been incited by anything except the gas music from Jupiter playing inside his head.



For as long as I've been alive, crosshairs and bull's-eyes have been an accepted part of the graphical lexicon when it comes to political debates. Such "inflammatory" words as targeting, attacking, destroying, blasting, crushing, burying, knee-capping, and others have similarly guided political thought and action. Not once have the use of these images or words tempted me or anybody else I know to kill. I've listened to, read—and even written!—vicious attacks on government without reaching for my gun. I've even gotten angry, for goodness' sake, without coming close to assassinating a politician or a judge.



From what I can tell, I'm not an outlier. Only the tiniest handful of people—most of whom are already behind bars, in psychiatric institutions, or on psycho-meds—can be driven to kill by political whispers or shouts. Asking us to forever hold our tongues lest we awake their deeper demons infantilizes and neuters us and makes politicians no safer.



The call by Sheriff Dupnik and others to take our political conversation down a few notches might make sense if anybody had been calling for the assassination in the first place, which they hadn't. And if they had, there are effective laws to prosecute those who move language outside of the metaphorical. I can't be overly critical of the sheriff. After all, he's the one who has spent his career witnessing how threats can turn into violence: gang wars, contract killings, neighborhood rows, domestic disputes, bar arguments, and all the rest.



The great miracle of American politics is that although it can tend toward the cutthroat and thuggish, it is almost devoid of genuine violence outside of a few scuffles and busted lips now and again. With the exception of Saturday's slaughter, I'd wager that in the last 30 years there have been more acts of physical violence in the stands at Philadelphia Eagles home games than in American politics.


Any call to cool "inflammatory" speech is a call to police all speech, and I can't think of anybody in government, politics, business, or the press that I would trust with that power. As Jonathan Rauch wrote (http://www.jonathanrauch.com/jrauch_articles/in_defense_of_prejudice/) brilliantly in Harper's in 1995, "The vocabulary of hate is potentially as rich as your dictionary, and all you do by banning language used by cretins is to let them decide what the rest of us may say." Rauch added, "Trap the racists and anti-Semites, and you lay a trap for me too. Hunt for them with eradication in your mind, and you have brought dissent itself within your sights."


Our spirited political discourse, complete with name-calling, vilification—and, yes, violent imagery—is a good thing. Better that angry people unload their fury in public than let it fester and turn septic in private. The wicked direction the American debate often takes is not a sign of danger but of freedom. And I'll punch out the lights of anybody who tries to take it away from me.http://www.slate.com/id/2280616/pagenum/all/#p2

[Spurminator]

Goddammit, Slate, I was going to write that column. Or at least Tweet a 140-character version of it.

Actually probably not either, but well said.

[boutons_deux]

"Our spirited political discourse, complete with name-calling, vilification—and, yes, violent imagery—is a good thing. Better that angry people unload their fury in public than let it fester and turn septic in private. The wicked direction the American debate often takes is not a sign of danger but of freedom. And I'll punch out the lights of anybody who tries to take it away from me."

another nail in the coffin of civility, if America was ever civilized.

and the writer sucks as anger therapist.

[BlairForceDejuan]

"Our spirited political discourse, complete with name-calling, vilification—and, yes, violent imagery—is a good thing. Better that angry people unload their fury in public than let it fester and turn septic in private. The wicked direction the American debate often takes is not a sign of danger but of freedom. And I'll punch out the lights of anybody who tries to take it away from me."

another nail in the coffin of civility, if America was ever civilized.

and the writer sucks as anger therapist.

Ironic "Pitbull Bitch" says hi

[Stringer_Bell]

This is stupid. I already have gun control. I hit my target, even at 300 yards.

crofl, git er done!!

Is it possible to buy stock in the x-ray scanner and metal detector companies? I so wanna do that, lookin forward to the pay day.

[MannyIsGod]

There is not going to be any new gun control. LOL @ Arizona passing stricter gun laws and LOL even more at federal legislation making it through with a GOP controlled House.

It will serve as a rallying call for the GOP though. They're coming after our guns!

[Winehole23]

another nail in the coffin of civility, if America was ever civilized.

and the writer sucks as anger therapist.You suck as a civility therapist.