Congresswoman Gabby Giffords Shot in Head

[Gauthier]

Republican or not, whoever did this is a sorry motherfucker. End of story.

Seriously insane motherfucker at that.

[Hathradic States]

I don't understand this nation I live in anymore. I don't understand why it's become acceptable to what seems like an increasing portion of the population to meet political and ideological differences with violence. The shooting of Congresswoman Giffords; the death threats to Speaker Pelosi; the plan to murder members of the ACLU to start a "revolution" which was barely thwarted; what's happening to us? When did disagreement become a deadly threat, instead of a dearly held political right?

Umm....

1776, I believe.

Prehaps 1775...



I am truly disgusted that somebody would resort to such tactics, believe it get across a political view of some point. No class what so ever.

[Wilgrove]

I also wonder if all of this extremism would be happening if Obama was white.

Of course not. The rise in violence is an allergic reaction to a black man in the White House ordering coffee instead of serving it.

I do find it sad, and amusing that there are people out there, for the first time in American politics questioning whether or not the President was born in the USA.

[Christmahanikwanzikah]

I don't understand this nation I live in anymore. I don't understand why it's become acceptable to what seems like an increasing portion of the population to meet political and ideological differences with violence. The shooting of Congresswoman Giffords; the death threats to Speaker Pelosi; the plan to murder members of the ACLU to start a "revolution" which was barely thwarted; what's happening to us? When did disagreement become a deadly threat, instead of a dearly held political right?

I also wonder if all of this extremism would be happening if Obama was white.

Obv. Republicans wouldn't give a shit if it was Biden.

Right.

[Galloism]

Umm....

1776, I believe.

Prehaps 1775...



I am truly disgusted that somebody would resort to such tactics, believe it get across a political view of some point. No class what so ever.

Whatever. 1775, 1776....

[South Norwega]

I also wonder if all of this extremism would be happening if Obama was white.

Obv. Republicans wouldn't give a shit if it was Biden.

Right.

They'd just be Biden their time.

[Hathradic States]

Of course not. The rise in violence is an allergic reaction to a black man in the White House ordering coffee instead of serving it.

I do find it sad, and amusing that there are people out there, for the first time in American politics questioning whether or not the President was born in the USA.

True, but not the first time in American politics in which somebody seeking the office of President's birth has been questioned. If I recall correctly, George Romney's eligiblity to run for President was questioned during his 1968 presidential campaign.

[New Kilballyowen]

I do find it sad, and amusing that there are people out there, for the first time in American politics questioning whether or not the President was born in the USA.

True, but not the first time in American politics in which somebody seeking the office of President's birth has been questioned. If I recall correctly, George Romney's eligiblity to run for President was questioned during his 1968 presidential campaign.

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

[Farnhamia]

True, but not the first time in American politics in which somebody seeking the office of President's birth has been questioned. If I recall correctly, George Romney's eligiblity to run for President was questioned during his 1968 presidential campaign.

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

I don't recall anyone going to court over the issue, though.

[Hathradic States]

True, but not the first time in American politics in which somebody seeking the office of President's birth has been questioned. If I recall correctly, George Romney's eligiblity to run for President was questioned during his 1968 presidential campaign.

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

And I believe they did the same thing to Barry Goldwater, since he was born in the Arizona territory. I'll check on that.

[Wilgrove]

True, but not the first time in American politics in which somebody seeking the office of President's birth has been questioned. If I recall correctly, George Romney's eligiblity to run for President was questioned during his 1968 presidential campaign.

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

I don't exactly recall anyone questioning McCain's eligibility. At least, not to the point that the Birthers are.

[New Kilballyowen]

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

I don't recall anyone going to court over the issue, though.

They didn't, not that I know of. As far as the military types going to court for refusing orders w/out proof of Obama's citizenship, on the one hand, I think that they're being pretty dumb, and pulling what amounts to a political stunt, but I will admit that, as a veteran, I can at least understand somewhat why they are doing it, even if I don't agree with it.

[New Kilballyowen]

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

I don't recall anyone going to court over the issue, though.

Turns out I spoke too soon. It looks like the issue of McCain's eligibility to run based on his place of birth went to court at least once.

http://belowthebeltway.com/2008/03/12/l ... ite-house/

Edit: here's a second:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/us/po ... ccain.html

[Free Soviets]

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

only in the sense that he probably was technically ineligible, and therefore it was funny. nobody actually gave a shit. i mean, i was among the biggest pushers of the idea on NSG, and i think the entire concept of restricting the presidency to natural born citizens is a bit silly. and that was my sense of the general feeling everywhere it came up, too. a sort of "man, those guys are even more ridiculous than most people realize".

[Wikkiwallana]

Sarah Palin is a fucking murderer, spewing her hatred and fear like drunken vomit from a college freshman. The right wing doesn't deserve the air they breathe, the families they create, and the power they gain. Scumbags, absolute and complete scumbags. I hope she's happy with herself, I hope they're all fucking happy with themselves with their reduced taxes and ignorance galore, it wont last forever and that gate in the clouds will remain locked when they approach. While they live in their mass produced heaven, I hope they're preparing to burn in hell.

Now see, this is just as problematic as her rhetoric. As much as I disagree with her and dislike her having even an iota of political influence, this is not the way to go about it. It solves nothing and just drives both sides further from working together on anything. The way to fight hatred is not with more hatred, but with love. Are opponents are still people, still worthy of respect for their personhood regardless of how we view their ideas. If you take issue with what they say and do, address that directly with solutions instead of name calling.

[Panzerjaeger]

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

only in the sense that he probably was technically ineligible, and therefore it was funny. nobody actually gave a shit. i mean, i was among the biggest pushers of the idea on NSG, and i think the entire concept of restricting the presidency to natural born citizens is a bit silly. and that was my sense of the general feeling everywhere it came up, too. a sort of "man, those guys are even more ridiculous than most people realize".

The main point behind Natural Born Citizenship was Jefferson and Cronies were trying to keep Hamilton from running for office which they accomplished.

[Hathradic States]

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

I don't exactly recall anyone questioning McCain's eligibility. At least, not to the point that the Birthers are.

No shit. He didn't win, so they don't have to worry about it.

[New Kilballyowen]

And don't forget, people were question John McCain's eligibility to run in 2008, since he was born in the Panama Canal Zone.

only in the sense that he probably was technically ineligible, and therefore it was funny. nobody actually gave a shit. i mean, i was among the biggest pushers of the idea on NSG, and i think the entire concept of restricting the presidency to natural born citizens is a bit silly. and that was my sense of the general feeling everywhere it came up, too. a sort of "man, those guys are even more ridiculous than most people realize".

Actually, most legal scholars, right and left (including liberal luminaries such as Harvard Law School Constitutional Law professor Lawrence Tribe, who represented Vice President Gore before the Supreme Court during the 2000 presidential election) stated their opinion that McCain was eligible, and the courts seem to have agreed. (See the NY Times piece I linked to above)

[Wikkiwallana]

Link?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_congresswoman_shot

The scumbag even shot a 9 year old child. So much for the rant earlier. We were all wrong.

Reading that link, there is nothing to indicate he is a liberal, or a conservative, or of any specific political stripe, just that he is very deeply disturbed and mentally unbalanced.

[Ta suil]

essentially this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ns/ ... /#40982787

[Wikkiwallana]

Tom Clancy is one of my favourite authors, yet has several views which I vehemently disagree with.

I cannot imagine somebody reading the Communist Manifesto for giggles.

What about to get inside the mind of their opponent? Or as someone as disturbed as the man would likely view them, their "enemy".

[Communist Winnipeg]

essentially this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ns/ ... /#40982787

Between that link and the youtube of the Congresswoman's Republican opponents speech I posted a couple of pages ago, I think thats all we need - psycho overly excited by over the top right wing retoric 'does the right thing' in his mind and kills liberals.

[Nobel Hobos]

What's the best link mentioned so far in the thread?

And, where I can I find copies of his blog/forum posts or whatever there is? I'm curious if he really did come across as nuttier than our own "resist tyranny" types ...

[Wikkiwallana]

Why do his politics and religion even matter? He shot up a bunch of people and killed several, does it really matter if he's a communist or a tea partier?

Because the best way to prevent something from happening again is to understand why it happened in the first place?

[Wikkiwallana]

Which narrowed the circumstances in which a restriction can be placed on the freedom of speech.

Imminent lawless action is quite... ahem, clear. Putting a gun on a history book and taking a picture of it is not, in of itself, indicative of "imminent lawless action".

Obviously I was looking at the bigger picture and the various videos, statements, and other works that came from him which clearly showed someone who was violent and had violent thoughts and able to carry out such violence, as opposed to some guy who was just pissed off and blogged about DA EBIL GOVERNMENTS.

If an Arab American took a picture with a bomb on a textbook the FBI would have an entire fucking divison swarming his residence within the day, but when a seemingly harmless white boy does stuff like this for YEARS, everyone turns a cheek.

Until he blows someones brains.

Ahh, sweet smell of liberty.

How do you know the authorities were even aware of his videos before he did this? It's not like there's a shortage of insane and potentially violent crap on youtube, nor is uploading videos there restricted to Americans.