Who Is Responsible for Shooting Rep Giffords?

Apparently not the lunatic who purchased the gun, posted his farewell on Facebook, drove to the meeting and pulled out his gun, took aim at the Congresswoman and pulled the trigger (then repeated same to numerous others). No, according to virtually every news outlet today, it is those (of us) who disagree with her political philosophies and dare to exercise our First Amendment rights to do so pubicly with any degree of vigor.

Clearly, we'll get around to the real cause of this, which is of course, access to guns in our country, but for now (never let a good crisis go to waste) we can show the country just how much the citizens who did not embrace the hope and change of the last Congress and this Administration were the main enablers of this tragic outcome.

The media outlets were immediately raising "questions with which the nation is struggling" about the lack of civility in our political discourse. Today, they are awash with all the talking heads who are providing the clear answers: "violent rhetoric," "incivility", "disdain for government," "public becoming riled" are the reasons for the death of five citizens and the wounding of a Congressional Representative.

I could devote hours discussing this issue, but here's a litmus test regarding just how much the right condones this nutjob's actions: take a poll at just about any gathering of liberals/progressives and take the same poll at one of those racist, uncivil teaparty gatherings:

"Show of hands: how many believe the accused shooter should be executed immediately if found guilty of the crime with his Constitutionally-guaranteed rights to appeal exhausted?"

Of course, the libs/progs would be too busy wringing their hands to raise them, but I have little doubt you'd see a sea of tea partier hands in the air before you even got to the "..if found guilty..."

Meanwhile, the Senate Majority Leader, following up on the first half of Meet the Press which was devoted to the above lack of civil political discourse, very civilly said that more than half of the voters in the recent election "can't be serious about reducing the deficit, can't be serious about creating jobs, can't be serious about boosting the economy." It's so much better when it's "civil."

Footnote: Has anyone else noticed how many mass killings have been preceded by a posting on Facebook? Time for Social Networking Control Legislation.