Readers debate rhetoric's role in Arizona shooting

This week, ClickBack asked editorial page readers about the rolepolitical rhetoric played, or didn't play, in the shootings inTuscon, Ariz.

Is anti-government rhetoric culpable in the Tuscon shootings?

Opponents of big government who post elected officials andcandidates as gun targets (cross hairs) on the Internet are incitingto riot by definition. Authorities must act to protect the publicand the democratic process.

nallen11

People's actions are influenced by how they perceive truth andreality. Our culture glorifies violence, condones war and defendsmuch abominable behavior. When we begin to value equality, peace,and justice more than vanity and profit, we may see a decline inthese types of abhorrent actions.

Kcjonez

The shooter was to all appearances a classic paranoidschizophrenic. There is nothing that anyone can do for someone likethis if they have broken no laws, [not] threatened to harm others orthemselves.

According to the news media he developed his fixation on Rep.Giffords over three years ago and was probably well on his way intohis psychological problems. Palin wasn't even a blip on most radarscreens in 2007. I really don't believe that people in this mentalstate are listening to anyone's voices but their own.

patom1

The crazies have always been with us and I, for one, resent theattempts by liberals, socialists, progressives - whatever they callthemselves - to demonize guns or conservatives or talk show radiohosts in an attempt to get some mileage for their point of view.This type of behavior is not new. Don't believe me? Do a Googlesearch on "Bath School Disaster" and see what happened on May 18,1927. Can't blame that one on Rush Limbaugh, can we?

Jimlay

The fact that liberals are trying to tie this tragedy toconservatives (Palin and others) and their exercise of free speechis disgusting, shameful and reprehensible. It's also hypocritical,but it's nothing new for the left to be hypocritical. The Democratsproduced a nearly identical map with targets and cross hairs in2004, but that's OK, huh?

The fact is, this guy is a nut job who obviously lives in adimension outside of reality. There are always going to be insanepeople doing insane things. Unfortunately, some, like thischaracter, slip through the cracks. Trying to stick the blame onpolitical enemies displays a moral character that resides in thesewer.

Foxtrap

Does anyone else see the irony in this tragedy? In Arizona, thestate that has been the de facto face of recent political gaybashing (DADT, Sen. McCain) and racism (the state's highlycontroversial immigration law), a white straight man shoots a memberof Congress, who then has her life saved by her gay HispanicAmerican intern, Daniel Hernandez.

Houltwo

There is a strong case to be made that the rhetoric of the timesdoes make a difference.

When the focus of the rhetoric is anti-union, unions and unionmembers get attacked, as they did in the early 1900s. When therhetoric is anti-Japanese, Japanese get attacked, discriminatedagainst and illegally corralled in internment camps. When therhetoric is anti-Semitic, synagogues and Jews are attacked.

When the rhetoric focuses on the government and demonizes aparty, a congresswoman gets shot. If you think Sarah Palin'scrosshairs represented thoughtful debate, I'd be glad tocongratulate her for you.

msallyjones