Words Have Consequences

A vigil in front of Rep Giffords on the day she was shot          ChrisMorrison/AP

Sarah Palin referred to the cross hairs on her map targeting Democrats as "bull's-eyes". When she was criticized for it, she tweeted "Don't retreat, RELOAD!" Her next Facebook post  was filled with violent imagery. Don't be fooled by the college basketball reference- the title implies she has to couch her violent rhetoric in a sport's metaphor to be "politically correct"- but you can be sure her followers got her message loud and clear.

Here's a sampling from that post, "...so penetrate through enemy territory by bombing through the press, and use your strong weapons – your Big Guns – to drive to the hole. Shoot with accuracy; aim high and remember it takes blood, sweat and tears to win....you’ll only win the war if you’ve picked your battles wisely. No matter how tough it gets, never retreat, instead RELOAD!!" (like you'd tell a basketball team to  reload). Shortly after, the vandalism and threats against members of Congress began.

Giffords herself said at the time, “The rhetoric is incredibly heated, not just the calls but the emails, the slurs. Things have really gotten spun up.” There were death threats, smashed windows, including her office and widespread racial, antisemitic and gay slurs. Rep Giffords, who is now fighting for her life, also told MSNBC at the time, "We're on Sarah Palin's targeted list. But the thing is, the way she has it depicted it has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. And when people do that, they've got to realize there are consequences to that action."

The target map disappeared from Palin's site right after the shooting. Now according to a Palin aide, "We never, ever, ever intended it to be gun sights." The "bull's eyes" she explained were really "surveyor symbols". I believe, as many do, that this should signal the end of Palin's political career.

When Gabby Gifford's father was asked if his daughter had any enemies he said, "Yeah, the whole Tea Party." Tea Party protests were regularly held at the offices of Rep Gifford in which Giffords was denounced as a traitor to the constitution and the country. Last year, Jesse Kelly, Representative Gifford's Tea Party opponent used the ad below in his campaign. He also wore camouflage gear and held a gun to promote the event.

 Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation urged tea party supporters to "blame liberals for the attack" as a means of defending the tea party movement's recent electoral gains. Phillips also called Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who spoke the truth about the danger of our country's growing  intolerance, bigotry and hate, a "leftist sheriff". (But I also have to commend Amy Kremer, Tea Party Express Chair who said, "An attack on anyone for political purposes, if that was a factor in this shooting, is an attack on the democratic process. We join with everyone in vociferously condemning it.")

The out-of-control vitriol from the far right has been with us for some time. Here are a few examples I found in an article on TruthOut.

"I tell people don't kill all the liberals. Leave enough so we can have two on every campus - living fossils - so we will never forget what these people stood for."- Rush Limbaugh, Denver Post, 12-29-9 

"Get rid of the guy. Impeach him, censure him, assassinate him."- Rep. James Hansen (R-UT), talking about President Clinton 

"We're going to keep building the party until we're hunting Democrats with dogs."- Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX), Mother Jones, 08-95 

"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."- Ann Coulter, New York Observer, 08-26-02

And of course, we have the recent "I want Minnesotans armed and dangerous" by Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann and Nevada Tea Party candidate Sharon Angle speaking of "Second Amendment remedies." Then there is the new Representative Allen West (FL-R) who said today he stands by this statement "If ballots don't work, bullets will." Rush Limbaugh has mired himself in new lows saying that the Democrats like events like the Tuscon massacre because they can use it politically and that the killer is smiling because the Democratic party is supporting him. Desperate, despicable words.

We have to make it unacceptable for people to irresponsibly incite violence. Nothing good will come from the continuation of debased, hate-filled and violent speech. Sing the petition here to demand that those who incite violence are denounced and demanding that leaders "Debate, Not Hate!" May this be a turning point in restoring civility to our political dialogue.

Twenty people were shot Saturday and six of them are dead. A man threw his body in a hail of bullets to save his wife, one woman was shot in each arm and in her back as she covered her teenage daughter, a Republican judge known for his fairness was slain. 

And there was Christina Taylor Green, born on a day of tragedy, 9/11/01 and killed in tragedy- a beautiful nine year old who was said to understand the inequities in the world and wanted to work to make the world better. I know our hearts are joined in sending love and blessings to the deceased and their families and for healing and recovery to all the wounded and their loved ones. 

Rep Gabby Giffords just began to breathe on her own, but she has a long road ahead of her. I know she is being showered with the best wishes and love of the nation. 

A message from space-

"These days, we are constantly reminded of the unspeakable acts of violence and damage we can inflict upon one another, not just with our actions, but also with our irresponsible words.
We're better than this. We must do better."
                     Scott Kelly, Gabby's brother in law, Space station commander 

"It would be really nice if the ramblings of crazy people didn't in any way resemble how we actually talk to each other on TV." Jon Stewart

“We know that silence equals consent when atrocities are committed against innocent men, women and children. We know that indifference equals complicity when bigotry, hatred and intolerance are allowed to take root. And we know that education and hope are the most effective ways to combat ignorance and despair." Rep Gabrielle Giffords