I believe in Free Speech and i also believe in a person's right to own a gun.

[LynneSin]

But I also believe with these freedoms comes responsibilities. The responsibility to not use our freedoms to incite hatred or violence and our guns to not be used to destroy human lives.

Over the next weeks the right-wing media will be screaming about their 1st & 2nd amendment rights and how they have the right to use inciteful visions of violence against those they oppose. And they'll talk about how they need a weapon that can fire dozens of bullets in a short period of time.

What is sad is these people just don't get it. And they people who need to learn a valuable lesson won't and what frightens me is this could happen again.

[RegieRocker]

1. K & R

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

2. Freedom of Speech and Choice of Expression shouldn't be the same thing.

As for owning a gun,

He could have simply taken a Hummer/SUV and sped into the crowd.

HATE will find a way.

[EFerrari]

3. I'll be very surprised if it doesn't.

The seeds have been planted. This one event, as massive and horrible as it is, isn't going to change that.

[LynneSin]

5. What's sad is that 90%+ of all Tea Party members are probably non-violent like you and I

But there is always that small group out there that cannot distinguish between what is 'allegory in advertising' vs. reality.

I one watched a TV documentary about the "Lone Wolf Syndrome" and these are some really sick people who have blurred imaginary from reality. Sarah Palin has every right to create that ad that had cross-hairs over candidates names and tweet about 'reloading'. But where Palin fails is the concept that not every one of us can distinguish whether or not Sarah was using metaphors or inciting violence.

That's where the responsibility of free speech comes into play

[EFerrari]

8. Yes. And what she did, specifically, is to encourage people

to pick up a gun. That's the language she used. People respond on an unconscious level and make up a rationale for doing what has been suggested to them.

I don't only blame her. I also blame everyone who didn't call her on her behavior. Who pretended it was cute or sexy or something. Same for Bachmann and Coulter and Kelley, too.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. terrorists though

owning a gun is one thing. Intent on doing harm is another.

[LAGC]

6. Uh, I don't think the attacker used an automatic weapon.

It was just a semi-auto, he had to pull the trigger each time.

I guess we could ban everything except for bolt-action (single-shot) rifles.

That might minimize the problem of mass-shooters, but at what cost? And how do you round up all the semi-autos that are already out there?

You think everyone will just turn them in? If anything, it will be the crazies who hold out.

[madinmaryland]

7. K & R!

[one_voice]

9. K&R

[spin]

10. K&R (n/t)