What everyone feared has happened. The politics of hate now has victims.
The vilification of Democrats and the encouragement to literally take aim at them has come to fruition. One of the congressmen in Sarah Palin's cross-hairs has been shot. There has been focus on the mentally ill and the accessibility of guns, but I am most disturbed that politicians were specifically threatened and now one of them has been shot. I am unmoved by commentary that no connection between encouragement to shoot politician's and their actually being shot has been established. When a party advocates the killing of others, it is wrong. When it happens, man up. When you encourage an atmosphere of violence, you share responsibility morally for what happens. If you ask that it be done and then it happens, is this not what you wanted? The targeting of politician's did not specify that there should be no collateral damage, and this is what can happen.
The shooting of 14 people last weekend is a tragic event. The fact that a congresswoman, a federal judge, a minister, and a child are amongst the victims makes it even more heartbreaking as well as carrying larger social and community consequences. But what more can we learn from this?
I do not know if this is a direct effect of the language of hate and the encouragement to take action--violent action--or not. Does it matter if there is a direct link? Should political leaders be encouraging people to shoot people they disagree with? The answer should be a resounding "no". I am equally unnerved by the fact that it was not a politician but rather a comedian who called for an end to this rhetoric during the fall elections. I went to the Rally to Restore Sanity because it represented the lone voice of moderation in an otherwise increasingly polarized political climate. It is dishonorable to encourage your supporters to physically harm your opponents.
Christine Green, born on September 11, 2001, became the victim of home grown terrorism this weekend. Who will be accountable for her death?
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