A note to Matt Lauer: 9 year old Christina Taylor Green is the victim of political violence

[wndycty]

From: http://blog.windycitywatch.com/2011/01/note-to-matt-lauer-9-year-old-christina.html

A note to Matt Lauer: 9 year old Christina Taylor Green is the victim of political violence. . .

. . .as is 63 year old federal Judge John Roll, as is 76 year old Dorwan Stoddard, as is 79 year old Phyllis Schneck, as is 76 year old Dorothy Morris as is 30 year old Gabriel Zimmerman and the 14 others shot by Jared Lee Loughner on Saturday in Tucson.

I've singled out Lauer because of an interview he conducted this morning on the TODAY SHOW with Arizona State Representative Steve Farley (D). My criticism, however, would apply to all who dismiss the role that the political climate, fed by the violent rhetoric coming from those on the right, played in this tragedy.

After Farley mentioned that he felt that politics played a role in the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Lauer (D-AZ) pushed back by interrupting:

"Let me just interrupt for a second, Steve when you talk politics, when you say 'heal our politics' its easy, the temptation is to say this is politically motivated in someway but, but this young man, this alleged shooter didn't only target a member of Congress, he shot a 9 year old girl, thats not about politcs thats about insanity isn't it?"

What Lauer doesn't admit, even after acknowledging that Giffords was targeted, was that Christina died because she attended an event for the Congresswoman who was shot. Was the bullet that hit Giffords political while the bullets that hit the other 19 people was not?

Make no mistake this was a political shooting and all of those wounded or killed are victims of political violence.

Some things to consider that are not in dispute:

* Sarah Palin literally put Giffords in the "crosshairs" on a map as a candidate targeted for defeat.
* Palin constantly reminded her supporters "Don't retreat, reload"
* Giffords Republic opponent, Jesse Kelly, held a campaign event where participants were encouraged to participate in an event and "to get on target for victory in November to help remove Gabrille Giffords from office."
* There are 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 members of the Senate, yet it was Giffords, who was "targeted" with a lot of gun based rhetoric, became the first member of Congress since 1978 to be shot.

Giffords was not a victim of a random crime who just so happened to be a member of Congress, she was targeted because she is a member of Congress and she, as well as anyone killed or wounded that day, is a victim of political violence.

Restraint tells us that we should tread lightly when it comes to placing blame on anyone but Loughner, however it would be irresponsible to believe that restraint prohibits us from taking a look at the environment that may have influenced him.

The toxic political environment we have played a role in this, to what degree we might not know, but it played a role. Everyone, regardless of ideology, needs to take a long hard look at themselves and consider how what we say, what we do and how we do it contributes to the conversation.

I know I will.

I hope that when Lauer and others who are quick to dismiss the role that politics played in this tragedy reflect on the facts that are not in dispute before they declare that politics had nothing to do with this.

Video of Lauer from TODAY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBnHZ-9xmWw

[cascadiance]

1. And also note how Pamela Gorman appealed to Republican voters in a neighboring district...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXj-4w4Reiw

Would be interesting to find out if Loughner saw that ad too and how it affected him.

[wndycty]

5. I had forgotten all about that

:kick:

[Supersedeas]

2. the unpolitical motivations of OK City, Anthrax letters, Congressional assignation attempts

Mutt Lauer is a fool.

[kestrel91316]

3. Yeah, Matt, it was just a random shooting. The guy just happened to shoot the

Congressperson he hated for her politics. He could have shot anybody. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[onenote]

4. if Loughner had tossed a bomb at the crowd in order to try and kill Giffords

and dozens had been killed, would Lauer still be trying to draw that distinction?

The victims of Loughner's attack were the victims of an act of political violence. Maybe that political violence was the act of an unstable individual, but it was political violence nonetheless.

[wndycty]

6. Yup its not like she was carjacked

:kick: