Politically Charged Violence - Who's Responsible?

[pajama]

Democrats say it about Republicans, Republicans about Democrats, it just depends on who's in office at the moment. Sarah Palin no more caused these deaths, than Jody Foster caused Reagan's shooting or Marilyn Manson caused the shootings at the high school, than playing Dungeons and Dragons caused whatever else. And guns don't kill people...idiots and nut-jobs wielding those guns kill people. IMHO

I think the political/religious climate is escalating, as our whole society is. We care less about each other, respect each other less, etc. So as a species, humans have become more violent. Again IMHO.

A

[Just_G]

We see other countries where there is so much violence between 2 groups that are on opposing sides of what is going on in that country, and it makes me wonder what this country will be like years from now when people think the easiest way to handle a situation or to silence a politician is with violence. (and I realize that this has been going on since the beginning of time; i.e. Lincoln, Dr. ML King, Kennedy, etc.) It's barbaric. The tea party folks scare the shit out of me....and a lot of those followers that want to "take this country back".

I see all these left wing nuts that stretch the truth and start rumors and fill people's heads with such bullshit....and people BELIEVE that shit!! My step mom thinks that Rush and Beck walk on freakin' water; and I look at her and think "what kind of idiot are you?" Some of the things that come out of her mouth make my jaw hit the ground.

So now all of these politicians are going to need security....I guess that is one way to help the unemployment rate; right?

[Kobi]

This is another of those tricky situations for me and my thoughts are all over the place trying to write something coherent.

For me to say something violent occurred because of a political climate or political rhetoric seems self serving and self indulgent. This is a country based on diversity, free speech, and revolution. It is a country of innovations, many of which would not have come to fruition if diversity and differences in thinking were not allowed. It is a country based on differences of thought and beliefs which for the most part find ways to live in some degree of harmony.

It is also a country in flux and economic turmoil. Change, I think, is coming and the process may not be pleasant. We seem to need new definitions of who we are, where we are going, and how we are going to get there as a country.

I can't honesty say the rhetoric of Sarah Palin led this man to a shooting spree anymore than I can say Ghandi and his message of peace inspired someone to kill him.

It's not that simple or logical a process. People do weird things for bizarre reasons. We might feel more comfortable if we can attribute behavior to this or that so our world seems controllable. But, people are complex beings when they are well, they are more complex when they are not well.

I truly believe we are responsible for our own actions. And, as a society, we have become accustomed to looking for excuses for behavior so as to absolve ourselves of responsibility for things we do. I have a real hard time with blaming others for the choices we individually make.