The reason it is significant that 18 people were shot in a mass murder in AZ, at a friendly, political event where a democratic Congresswoman was meeting her constituents, is that AZ has become the hotbed of political hate speech, hateful spewing along with irresponsible suggestions of violence toward other politicians. AZ has been in the news for bigoted practices lately, and SOME people there spewing hateful comments to the world, and calling it their right to free speech. And yes, I’ll mention Sarah Palin’s incredibly unwise posted page where she included “target bullseyes” such as those you see through the telescope lens of a gun, directed at fellow politicians, one of them being the Congresswoman who got hit. She is now lying in a hospital struggling to survive and recover, with half her skull temporarily removed.
The sheriff, in his comments last night on tv, stated, “Hateful words may be free speech, but it is not without consequences.” He also stated America needs to do some soul searching and develop civility. His words came from his heart, and I applaud him.
The 22-yr-old who did the shooting, it seems obvious, was mentally deranged and disturbed. The question is, does the hateful spewing BRING THIS OUT in mentally deranged people? Does it accentuate EITHER / OR and US vs. THEM mentality, and possibly ENCOURAGE lunatics to act on these hateful thoughts & feelings in the worst way possible?
I think people are responsible for the words they spew, and shame on anyone who spews hate speech to get elected. Shame on them.
This child was mentally askew. Had to be, in order to start spraying bullets, one of which killed an innocent 9-yr old girl who was there to meet her Congressional representative because she was an honor roll student. Of course, no one can be blamed for what he took their words and did with them. But the VERY INTERESTING side point is the number of people who, because of this incident, are now voicing THEIR disgust and disapproval of hateful speech by political candidates. WHETHER OR NOT this person did this act BECAUSE OF being influenced by their words, which is always an impossible thing to prove and rather pointless, people are VOICING their disgust over this hate-mongering.
People want tolerance, appreciation for our differences, respectful discourse, intelligent discussion of issues, civility toward one another, and (if you can imagine) actual LOVE of humanity for the sake of our being a creation of God. I believe people want that. Now’s the time to voice those beliefs and not be silent.
Doctor Grandma 
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