I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

If these nuts are "soaking" up their ideas from their environment, why do they only "soak" up the negatives?  If you soak you soak. That bucket won't hold water.

Usually, angry, mentally unstable people dissatisfied with their lot do not soak up "positives".  They soak up "negatives" which help re-inforce why they're so angry, or fearful.

12 killed in Britian was the worst mass killing there since 1998.Can we say that? AND a Federal Judge was asassinated along with 5 other people and a Congresswoman lies near death. Our culture is a tad more violent than that in England or Canada.IMO Even if all of humanity is just a bunch of violent thugs, that does not make violence here any better. Since when was everybody's doing it an excuse.

My heart is breaking for all of the families affected by this tragedy.

Well, PatMom, that's one explanation.  Perhaps another one is that this Sheriff has seen, encountered and dealt with many individuals who exhibit bigoted behaviour and voice nasty political rhetoric.  He's in a position of dealing with the worst of the worst, and perhaps he has actually seen a rise in nasty behaviour and his disgust and frustration finally found a voice.

Just another explanation for anyone to consider......

OH MY GOSH about this thread!  Would you just agree that crazies are crazies...like the loon that shot Reagan and Brady...PUUULLLLEEEASSSSEEEE!  Like the loon that assassinated John Lennon? 

The Sheriff is still spewing his rhetoric when this should be about an investigation of this nut job having a gun AFTER the school told him not to come back until being evaluated by a shrink saying he would do no harm to himself or others.  Whoever delivered that letter should have put his name in the "cannot buy a gun" hat!  He bought the gun in November.  I wonder what he was spewing in his class...and the loon says the school was unconstitutional.  He's a nut and stop blaming it on heated debates or opinions.  Geez!  Get a freaking grip! 

I agree with you Madalyn .. this poor little child was interested in politics and probably went there to learn all that she could.  I imagine she was excited to see and meet a real live congresswoman. 

It breaks my heart too.

Bren

PatMom, I think another possible explanation for Sheriff Dupnik's statement is that his jurisdiction has been rife with death threats against political figures, and he may have been living (to a far greater extent than others) with the sense that it was only a matter of time before one of these threats became fatal.

For example, Judge John M. Roll -- who was killed in yesterday's shooting in what seems to be completely a case of stopping by the wrong place at the wrong time -- was the target of so many death threats in 2009 that he and his family were given a security detail.  Judge Roll was a conservative, who had been appointed to the Arizona Federal District Court in 1991 by Pres. George H.W. Bush.  In 2009, he ruled that a lawsuit brought by illegal immigrants against an Arizona rancher could go forward.  That was the impetus for death threats.  Mind you, he hadn't settled the suit, which was ultimately decided in the rancher's favor -- he merely ruled that it had standing to go forward and be decided in a court of law.
[see: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/07/09/20090709threats0709.html]

Anyway -- my bottom line about Sheriff Dupnik is that it sounds like he's been dealing with an incredible number of threats against political figures, and that's what he was talking about.

Rep. Giffords wanted more border security.  She also did not vote for Pelosi for Speaker (has this already been posted?).  She voted for John Lewis (I believe).  Does that tell you anything..one of the 19 people that voted AGAINST her.  I believe I heard that it's been 80 years since this type of vote has happened.

Shirley, Thumbs UP! 

This is from March '90.  Read some of the comments.  I'm sure they'll make you angry, but they will explain EXACTLY what this "crosshairs" is.  Geez!  Another attempt at the LSM to make Sarah look like she's VIOLENT?  And no, I don't visit this site.  I just happened to read on Political about an aide defending Palin and what this meant...it directed you to this site.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2482716/posts  

Palin used surveyor symbols, not crosshairs  

C4P/Examiner ^ | 29 MARCH 2010 | C4P

Posted on Monday, March 29, 2010 9:48:15 PM

by Extremely Extreme Extremist

H/T - Examiner.com and C4P

Why do we have to knit pick what everyone has said on either side.  Is there  anybody who does not agree that both sides need to be more thoughtful when they speak?  

I don't regard the comments made about Palin as "knit picking."  They are horrible comments and untrue.  I, at this time, have no idea who I want to run for president.  So, it's not like I'm a Sarah Palin "follower."

Shirley, I had to laugh.  I was reading though all these posts and the thought that kept running through my mind was "geez, people, get a grip!"  And then I come to your post and there you are saying the same thing.

The public discourse and political bickering in the U.S. has become vicious.  There are examples on both sides, from politicians, from the media and from individuals.  Everyone needs to grow, get a bit of common sense, and stop this crap.  It's disgusting and yes, it can inflame people and it is potentially dangerous.  But there is no evidence that the shooting was related to this.

Congresswoman Giffords was previously threatened because of her support of some Democratic policies.  That's true.  Over the years, and particularly of late, many members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, have been threatened.  But there is no evidence that the shooting was related to this.

Please everybody stop making judgments.  Stop trying to put the blame on actions and people that you don't like - that may have nothing to do with this at all.  Stop using this as an opportunity to lash out at the "other side".  Stop defending indefensible activities - on both sides.  Stop playing the "my side is better than your side" game.  It's stupid. 

We don't know what caused this very sick individual to do what he did.  Was it because Congresswoman Giffords was a Democrat?  We don't know.  Was it because she was Jewish?  We don't know.  Was it because of something specific that she said about some government policy?  We don't know.  Was it because of any particular votes that she's made in Congress?  We don't know. 

What we do know is that we are dealing with an individual who hated government. His own writings show that.  Was Congresswoman Giffords targeted because she was a Congresswoman, someone in politics?  Most likely, yes. But if one of her Republican peers had been the one holding a public event on Saturday morning in Tucson, might he or she have been the target instead?  We don't know - but I think it's quite possible.  Maybe after months of planning, this very sick, deluded individual was ready with his plan to go after someone in government and he happened to see the promotion of Congresswoman Giffords event.  And he found his opportunity.  

Do I know that this is what happened, that the target could just as easily have been a Republican, if a Republican happened to be having a public event yesterday?  No, I don't know that but it's just as feasible as what anyone else here is implying - and maybe it's more feasible, based on the shooter's own writings. My point is that we absolutely don't know if this was a Democrat vs. Republican thing so could everyone please stop turning this discussion political?  What happened was horrible.  But the discussion about it doesn't need to be so ugly. 

Everyone, get a grip!  

Kadeeb,

Has any of his behavior prompted a look at him from law enforcement?  It may be that this would be a good time to alert the local LEOs, given the Tucson episode.

I know that a while back there was a man wandering up and down my street, checking out mailboxes and muttering to himself...I was sure he was having some kind of problem, so I dialed 911. 

I had to leave just then so I don't know what may have been done, but I doubt it would hurt to alert the authorities.

There are an awfully lot of folks on the streets that probably should be in some kind of institution.