The President's Speech

It is now the morning after President Obama's speech in Tucson called for after the tragic shootings there some days ago.  We spent the first 30 minutes of the radio show last night (you can listen to it podcasted here) kicking around the whole notion of the suggestion that incivility in political discourse was the proximate cause of this monstrous crime,  a radio show that fortunately or unfortunately, played out whilst the President was speaking these words. 

I have still not seen the speech as presented; I have only read and re-read the words prepared for delivery.  What I find in them is a nearly perfect treatment, incredibly well-crafted for the occasion.  As written, it was not a lecture, it was not a scolding, it was not what many of us feared. 

I have read several reports that the crowd was somewhat less than solemn at times, but who is to say what the psychology of the crowd there should have been.  I imagine there's quite a sense of collective shock.  And the President's preachery call and response style sometimes elicits a degree of audience participation not required or desired by the more reserved listener.  But that said, his call for civility was downright civil.

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.