“This is a sad day for our country.”

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot today. Reportedly, 17 in total were shot, six fatally. Among the dead is Judge John Roll.

Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement condemning the attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and members of her staff today in Tucson, AZ:

“I am horrified by the senseless attack on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and members of her staff. An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve. Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society. Our prayers are with Congresswoman Giffords, her staff, all who were injured, and their families. This is a sad day for our country.”

I posted elsewhere that this is incredibly chilling. The reaction would be same if it were a Republican congressman.

While it is impossible to believe an attack against a politician, judge and the politician’s staff is not political, it simply doesn’t matter what politics motivated this.

It is wrong, and an attack against the country.

Hopefully Rep. Giffords and the others shot recover quickly. Requiescat in pace to those who died in this senseless attack.


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11 responses to ““This is a sad day for our country.””

  1. JMPrince Avatar

    Yes. Everything’s legal. How we got here though is very predictable.
    http://www.csgv.org/issues-and-campaigns/guns-democracy-and-freedom/insurrection-timeline
    I’ll add that both Obama & myself agree with the USSC ruling here in DC v. Heller. Along with perhaps a majority of Americans too. JMP

  2. Julianal Avatar
    Julianal

    He purchased the gun legally, and was rejected by the Army. Not sure where he was training, but it wasn’t a US Army facility.

  3. Jen B. Avatar
    Jen B.

    Gun control isn’t really the problem. This Jared guy had no criminal history and was training at some military camp. I’m unsure whether he obtained his gun legally or not (he may not have wanted to wind up on a gov’t list); however, he would have been able to legally purchase a gun.. so please, let’s not turn this into a gun control debate.

  4. JMPrince Avatar

    I’ve got no brief for anyone on Kos who may have done similarly, but this ‘eliminationist’ rhetoric on the behalf of the Rethugs goes way back, and is now part & parcel of their standard tool kit. Whether turned on ‘abortionists’, gays, gay marriage, illegal immigrants, the poor, the black, brown & tan. Pick an era and a topic, and look in the archives of the National Review, and they’re running a righteous crusade against it, and the ‘tolerance of same’ in & for any sort of ‘civilized society’. And no, they’re far too ‘gentlemanly’ to suggest the immediate resort to violence, but the sotto voce threats of ‘continued & expected political violence’ are there. From the start. As someone else said, ‘as American as apple pie’. And yes, influencing the poor crazed rabble to do horrible things has Always been an integral part of the whole plan. And of course the ongoing overweening threat of political violence has stalked our political history, especially in the South, for well over 100 years. The contours of white supremacy may have changed hands, but the fear of & response to such violence is bred into the bone. And it’s not like others around the world are blind to this basic issue & central problem: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2011/01/08/giffords-arizona-shooting.html
    JMP

  5. Gunner Avatar
    Gunner

    Never said they were equal. Just trying to make the point that both sides are guilty of violent rhetoric. Do I agree with what Palin, Bachman, Brewer spew. No. I also do not think that you can hold an entire party accountable to the actions of one person.

    I think that a lot of people were quick to say that the person who did this came from the Tea Party. I was hoping that would not be the case. It is very easy to lay blame before all the facts are known. As I said before I think that this person is a deranged individual working on a delusional agenda.

    Being a “gun lover” has nothing to do with my above comment. I never even used the word gun. And no I am not holding my gun(s) tighter tonight. They are locked up. I understand that this tragic incident will most likely bring a renewed debate about gun control. I think that it is healthy for us to talk about such things.

    But now is not the time for finger pointing or debating. Now is the time for condolences and sorrow. Again, sad day for America.

  6. Daniel F. Avatar
    Daniel F.

    yeah, sorry gunner. i’m going to have to call an outright shennanagins on your equating a poster on Kos to the GOP’s VP Candidate and most vocal voice, coupled with the direct actions of the GOP opponent of the victim.

    Random Blogger vs Systemic messaging of a national party.

    Now, i know you. and i know you’re holding your gun a little closer tonight, maybe a little afraid of what the liberals are gonna say about it. thats okay. but your also an honest guy. lets keep it that way. and lets try not to play footsy with words and pretend that the rhetoric of an entire major political party and movement are not to blame because a blogger on the other side of the fence said something one time.

    im sorry gun lovers. back up off it, tonight.

  7. Gunner Avatar
    Gunner

    The GOP isn’t the only group that uses targets. The Daily Kos seems to be scrubbing their site pretty well. They have had a history of bulls eyes as well. They “targeted” Rep. Giffords along with other blue dog dems. On Jan. 6th of this year Daily Kos had a posting declaring that Rep. Giffords was “dead to me” because she didn’t vote Rep. Pelosi for Speaker.

    If I had to guess, the guy who did this is deranged. Think more unabomber or Olympic Park bomber. So to back up what you said. Yes, Rep. Giffords was the target of violent rhetoric these past two years. It came from both Republicans and Democrats.

    Sad day for America.

  8. JMPrince Avatar

    Yep. No one could have predicted. Not even Giffords who noted the chilling veiled threat during the campaign:
    http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/01/flashback_giffords_interview_on_target_map.php#more?ref=fpblg

    Words & hateful rhetoric have consequences. Create, nurture & sustain a toxic environment filled with invective & well directed hate, and you’ll soon get some pretty ugly results. Every time. Paging David Neiwert, for the umpteenth time. JMP

  9. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    Palin was the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, and as a Republican, I’d say he owns her.

    I’d distinguish between putting a bill in the crosshairs and a person, but either way, it’s distasteful. And I’d say that Republicans have been doing more of it than Democrats.

    Otherwise, yes. Let’s forget that Giffords was the target of violent rhetoric and actual violence for the past two years. Because willful ignorance will surely prevent anything like this from happening again.

  10. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    Six months ago he had a vice presidential nominee? :puzzled:

    Also, I’m guessing when Joe Manchin (psst–he’s a Democrat) put the Obamacare bill in crosshair in an ad, you’re going to equate the two?

    Anyway, this is exactly what I was hoping to avoid.

  11. Drew Avatar
    Drew

    As has been noted elsewhere, Giffords was among those Sarah Palin had put in her figurative crosshairs; her opponent held a fundraiser where his donors were invited to shoot an M16 and “get on target for victory”; and her office had been vandalized. She had been a target of violent political rhetoric and actual violence for at least two years.

    My reaction would be different if this were a Republican. I would be more surprised.

    I’m glad that Boehner made this statement. I wish he’d made it six months ago when his Vice-Presidential nominee was drawing crosshairs over Giffords district and his Congressional candidate was inviting his supporters to shoot M16s, but anytime, even now, is better than never.

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