Why did he go to Congress On The Corner?

[Graybeard]

They say that the toxic political atmosphere had nothing to do with this. They say he was just insane. Period.

But if Loughner was just acting on his own insanity he would have gone to the school that expelled him. He didn't. Or he would have gone to the Army recruiting office that refused him. He didn't.

He went to an event being held by a moderate Democrat who had been demonized by the RW hate-mongers.

[somone]

1. It was an "assassination"

and he said it

[KurtNYC]

2. Notice they are not calling this 'terrorism' ?

They have to shove a story like this into some kind of frame and they are going with the classic 'lone nut with a gun.'

But how weird is it that his name is Loughner,as in "Loner" ?

[Statistical]

3. One theory....

he asked Congresswoman Giffords a question 3 years ago. "What is government if words have no meaning?" She didn't answer the question. Documents from his safe seem to indicate that is when he began his obsession. He began writing her and complaining about the low literacy rate in her district. He believed the government controlled people via words among other delusional things. She was part of that system of control.

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/jared-lee-loughner-friend-voicemail-phone-message

[liberal N proud]

4. That still is politically motivated

She is a politician and he attempted to kill her because of her actions in her job.

[Statistical]

9. Well not any actions based on reality.

If someone killed the President because he honestly believed Obama was a robot would that be a political assassination or the act of a delusional and sick person?

[cali]

5. you can't predict what someone who is psychotic will do

He had a grudge against her- evidently it stemmed from the way she answered a crazy question of his at a prior town hall meeting.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[WinkyDink]

7. Because he missed the turn to go to the Republican synogogue.

[malaise]

8. Indeed he was so out of it

that he knew where she was holding her Congress by the Corner, what time and had already written notes about assassinating her - no political assassination here.

[onenote]

10. Again, its important to distinguish between a political act and a partisan act

At this point, there is no evidence that this was a partisan act. Rather, it appears to a "political" act in the sense that he harbored a grudge against Gabby because, in her role as her Congressperson, she didn't share his crazy view of how government control of grammar was controlling the world. Maybe additional information will come out. But at the moment that seems to be what is known.

[Lucinda]

11. He may have got the tweet announcing her event and decided to act

Who knows...

[gatorboy]

12. If the toxic political atmosphere had nothing to do with this,

Then why do Republicans want so much security all of a sudden?

If this isn't political then why does one Republican want to protect Congress with a Simpson's Dome of plexiglass?

[MadHound]

13. Are you really trying to predict what a mentally ill person would do?

Are you mentally ill? Do you have any experience dealing with people who are mentally ill?

My bet, you're simply engaging in baseless, clueless speculation.

[stray cat]

14. Hinkley shot Reagan -so you think that was caused by political discourse?

Reagan was president ie a political figure and specifically targetted