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Gabrielle Gifford

edited January 2011 in News
My prayer and thought go out to Gabrielle Gifford. The Representative of my district of Arizona I voted in Office. The Eyes of the world turn towards the state of Arizona, again. I am betting people are thinking that this state is weird again. First with the state senate bill 1070 and now this.

Comments

  • I know for a fact a lot of people are waiting to blame the right wing rhetoric machine for this. Right now it seems like the guy was eight kinds of crazy, and it doesn't seem his politics were a motivation...yet.
  • Right now it seems like the guy was eight kinds of crazy,
    Yea, unfortunately when you use a sort of "the other guy is evil" rhetoric the people you have to worry about are the crazy ones.
  • edited January 2011
    Right now it seems like the guy was eight kinds of crazy,
    Yea, unfortunately when you use a sort of "the other guy is evil" rhetoric the people you have to worry about are the crazy ones.
    Yeah, this is exactly why this type of rhetoric shouldn't be used. It's not about being afraid of normal people doing crazy things, it's about giving ideas to already fucking insane people.
    Post edited by Andrew on
  • Insane people are going to do insane shit eventually. The only way to stop them is help them with psychiatry, or lock them up. However, the environment they are in, and the media they experience, shapes exactly what insane shit they are going to do. If you have an insane person who is obsessed with LotR, don't be surprised if they start making with some swords and rings. If they're obsessed with Spider-Man, expect them to hurt themselves attempting to swing from a roof. If they're obsessed with the news, expect them to go on a shooting spree. There's really not much you can do about it. Even if they are obsessed with Sesame Street, they'll start living in a trash can and throwing things at everyone who walks past.
  • Insane people are going to do insane shit eventually.
    Exactly. I was saddened when I heard the news a few hours ago, and even more so when I checked my phone and realized that people were already trying to make this into a partisan issue by pointing fingers. Reading the full article right now, this guy shot a 9 year old girl. This guy was certified nuts.

    I don't think the environment shapes things as much as Scott thinks, though. I know neither of us are psychiatrists so it's silly to state wild opinion, but I feel that people like that are born killers. Militant rhetoric or not, if a few hateful words and a map with some crosshairs is enough to trigger such a whacko, then it's going to be something. One day he will snap, regardless, and saying someone was incited to do so is just silly. These minds are just looking for a reason, they're not pushed into one. Think of how passionate people get about sports teams, and the hateful speech that gets tossed around there. You don't see people shooting up locker rooms.
  • edited January 2011
    Sarah Palin's an idiot, as usual.
    image
    “We need to realize that the rhetoric, and the firing people up and … for example, we’re on Sarah Palin’s ‘targeted’ list, but the thing is, the way she has it depicted, we’re in the cross-hairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they’ve gotta realize that there are consequences to that action.”~~U.S. Representative Gabrielle Gifford
    Post edited by Pegu on
  • Map
    That's three.
  • So the big question seems to be "Political and batshit insane or just batshit insane?" The shooter posted this to YouTube:

    I'm going with plain old BATSHIT INSANE. He talks about the constitution and the gold standard a little bit, but it isn't really coherent enough for me to get an idea of what he's talking about. Also something about grammar?
  • You can't have the government controlling your grammar!
  • He wasn't even smart enough to make a 1984 reference, which kind of seems like what he was going for, maybe?
  • Apparently there is also a video of him performing a flag burning. His political ramblings seem to lie in the spectrum of complete anarchism.
  • Well, some factions will be very quick to latch on to his unwillingness to "trust in God"...
  • he does not trust the US dollar due to it is not backed by gold. Does not trust the swat team do to they are paid in US bills. Say he the only one that is literate in her district. Well his grammar seems bad and I know I am an avid reader along with both my parents and most of my family. He must think most of the rural Arizonian are country bumpkin that you find living in the mountains.
  • Yeah. Seems to be leaning to non-political batshit crazy as opposed to rhetoric-inspired batshit crazy.
  • Why are people even reporting on this guy? He doesn't deserve an ounce of the attention he's getting. Notoriety is probably what he wants.
  • Notoriety is probably what he wants.
    Timecube is what he wants.
  • Why are people even reporting on this guy? He doesn't deserve an ounce of the attention he's getting. Notoriety is probably what he wants.
    Yes, ignoring it will make everything a nice, rosey pink color, all happy and innocent and unicorns shitting rainbows.
  • Yes, ignoring it will make everything a nice, rosey pink color, all happy and innocent and unicorns shitting rainbows.
    Nah, but it'll cut down on copycat killings.
  • Yes, ignoring it will make everything a nice, rosey pink color, all happy and innocent and unicorns shitting rainbows.
    I'm not saying ignore it, what I'm saying is that we shouldn't make murderers and assassins celebrities.
  • Yes, ignoring it will make everything a nice, rosey pink color, all happy and innocent and unicorns shitting rainbows.
    I'm not saying ignore it, what I'm saying is that we shouldn't make murderers and assassins celebrities.
    That is assuredly not what everyone is doing.
  • Yes, ignoring it will make everything a nice, rosey pink color, all happy and innocent and unicorns shitting rainbows.
    Nah, but it'll cut down on copycat killings.
    No, it won't. Violent crazies are going to be violently crazy regardless of what happens in the news. Also, your assertion that information should be suppressed for the benefit of the masses is Orwellian and terrifying.
  • edited January 2011
    No, it won't. Violent crazies are going to be violently crazy regardless of what happens in the news.
    Yeah, you're right.
    Also, your assertion that information should be suppressed for the benefit of the masses is Orwellian and terrifying.
    I never meant to make that assertion, though. If anything I was thinking of the media's tendency to psychoanalyze and sensationalize crazy people, and that perhaps toning it down would be a responsible and professional thing to do.
    Post edited by Walker on
  • psychoanalyze and sensationalize crazy people
    How can you sensationalize the shooting death of six people during the attempted assassination of a national leader?
  • edited January 2011
    How can you sensationalize the shooting death of six people during the attempted assassination of a national leader?
    Yeah, total knee-jerk on my part. I made a quick, unthinking statement based on poorly thought out prejudices because you reminded me of situations previous and separate from this one. This tends to happen when I'm distracted.
    Post edited by Walker on
  • Well he may of got what he wanted. Today she announced that she was stepping down from the house of Representatives. Do not know why she could not wait until next year. Her offices crew was already cover most of her duties. She was up for reelection this year already. I think that what the Governor should do. She want to run a election for a position that is only going to last maybe six months.
  • I believe Congressional Democrats get to name a replacement to fill the rest of her term without an election.
  • edited January 2012
    Quick! Someone find some stupid blogger writing "1 down, 243 to go!"
    Post edited by SquadronROE on
  • I believe Congressional Democrats get to name a replacement to fill the rest of her term without an election.
    No, replacements are filled in by the state, usually chosen by the governor.
  • Senators are picked by governor, Reps are replaced via special election.
  • yeah we are have a special election in April to pick a party candidate and then general election in June. Being Arizona we have weird laws though
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