If anyone told me they thought what I said caused someone to be shot...

[luvspeas]

I'd be really concerned and would think long and hard about why they might think that. I would not accuse that person of persecuting me. I would also apologize. I would try to change the way I spoke so that no one would ever think that again.

It doesn't matter if that particular incident or one particular person did something directly as a result of what the right wing extremists have said. It a problem that so many people think that they might have caused this horrific tragedy.

But obviously I am not the same sort of person as Sarah Palin.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Sanity is contagious.

Pity, not contagious enough

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Wearing side arms to political events does not send a good message to anyone

who sees it, especially a nut job seeking to make a statement.

[cynatnite]

3. It would unsettle me so much that I would have to stop and think...

What did I do or say?

Self-examination in light of such horror is a normal thing.

The RW types like Palin don't get it and they refuse to.

[luvspeas]

4. I think that if she really thought the markers on the map were not targets...

she would have apologized and not tried to cover it up and lie about it.

[CherokeeDem]

5. I agree...

I thought about that same thing today. If I had said something to cause someone to hurt or killed, I would be devastated. I'm not certain I could deal with that. However, Sarah Palin says something reckless to further her own cause, and then refuses to take responsibility. How can anyone be so callous?

[Versailles]

6. And that is the crux of the issue

At least in my humble opinion. I feel like, speaking in broad terms, and yes I realize this is a generalization, that Democrats actually have a sense of empathy. We internalize everything and almost have an over developed sense of guilt. We FEEL for those we might possibly hurt and try to rectify the situation and apologize for things that perhaps we aren't even guilty of. Republicans could care less about the lives and feelings of anything but themselves - hence the victim card being played when they have done something wrong...deflect all guilt to others and you don't have to feel anything.


Then again, I could just be full of crap...

[luvspeas]

7. I think it's fine to say I'm sorry if you misunderstood, or I'm sorry you feel that way...

I think it can help people better understand one another. You're not full of crap.

[pacalo]

8. I would be devastated & forever tortured with guilt.

[former9thward]

9. This guy was stalking Giffords since 2007.

That was before anyone had even heard of Palin. The guy was a nut. For some strange reason some here want to shift the blame from him to someone else. I don't know why. Maybe they should have listened to the President's speech.

[luvspeas]

10. Too bad you missed the point....

Maybe this shooting had nothing to do with Palin, Limbaugh, et al, but the problem is that so many people think that the things they say could have caused this.

I knew something like this could happen the first time I heard someone use the N word at a McCain Palin rally and no one stopped them.

There are people in this country who have no sense of self-decency. Palin and others need to apologize and stop implying violence is an acceptable way to gain control of the country.

You missed the point completely.

[former9thward]

11. Too bad you missed it too.

You should have listened to the President's speech.

[EFerrari]

15. What about all the other ones, like that guy out here who got into a

firefight on the highway with the police or CHIPS, maybe. He was going to kill himself some liberals at the Tide Foundation like the radio told him to.

It's high time to call these @ssholes out on their incitement. And Obama has a security detail. The rest of us, who have to live with these violent @ssholes, don't.

[Matariki]

12. I'm of two minds on this - I've argued vehemently over the "heavy metal made me do it" meme

But at the same time I think that Palin and Beck, ect. know EXACTLY what they are doing when they incite violence. In which case, there is no way they are going to apologize - they will only ratchet up the heat.

[RedCloud]

13. Your message just shot down your critics. Happy now?

[hfojvt]

14. Do you really think that is true?

So there you are, running for the US Senate giving fiery speeches denouncing the bankers and the other capitalist criminals who are gambling with the people's money and foreclosing on homes and putting widows and children out on the street. At some point in the campaign there is a bank robbery with gunshots and several deaths. Immediately Limbaugh and Hannity are on their shows saying that you caused those deaths with your over-the-top anti-capitalist rhetoric.

Would you really be concerned, and think long and hard. Or would you think for about ten minutes and then quickly decide that their attacks on you following a tragedy were cheap political attacks exploiting a tragedy?

[luvspeas]

16. yes, and I would apologize...

I would publicly say that I was very concerned that ANYONE might think in any way that I condoned such violence. I would absolutely REPUDIATE all association with the act and I would apologize to anyone who might possibly have thought I was responsible for their misunderstanding. I would also make sure that I made that clear everytime I spoke. That's what a responsible person does.

[hfojvt]

20. you would "repudiate all association with the act"

you might say something like this? "It’s inexcusable and incomprehensible why a single evil man took the lives of peaceful citizens that day."

and you'd really apologize to Rush for making up a b.s. accusation against you? I find that hard to believe. And you'd apologize to his listeners because they believed a b.s. accusation against you?

[Fire Walk With Me]

17. ...

:hug::hug::hug:

[wiggs]

18. At the very least it should require a good hard look at what you're doing and why

people think that. In all cases an apology might not be necessitated, but reflection should be, I agree.

Having said that, I think the RW knew this day would come and that it was still acceptable so that the political benefits of a hate and fear campaign could be realized. Violence is acceptable collateral damage. It is a simple calculation (and not unlike a car or cigarette manufacturer calculating costs associated with death or disease into the cost of doing business). There has been violence and thwarted violence before now and it hasn't changed a thing.

Therefore they won't be pausing or reflecting. There is no road too low for RW/corporatist cabal that has directed political campaigns, consolidated media power, developed propagandist think tanks and spent billions of dollars over decades to get to this point where they can create their own reality...and the ends (consolidation of power and wealth) always justify the means.

[babydollhead]

19. I think it's passive aggressive behavior

Stir all this shit up and then say, "huh? I never said that. YOU must be wrong to think I said that. I am just sitting here minding my own business and am blind sided by these accusations. YOU must be wrong. YOU are stupid and wrong and I am a very good person who has been misunderstood and am befuddled. So I am pissed. That's how you make me feel when you call me out on anything.PISSED. Why can't you all just leave me be?"