NP Rank:
Time for Palin to shut up
Reality is that political rhetoric is intended to fire people up and sometimes it is effective. Reality is that words used to accomplish this can become too extreme, to the extent of making people with a propensity for violence go the distance because words provide them cover. That is an opinion of course, though it is also supported by historical facts.
To claim that one mentally ill person’s behavior is an instance of the effectiveness of Sarah Palin’s crosshair rhetoric may not be proven or accurate, though some reasonable people might conclude that her approach has not been helpful.
If Palin were a shrewd politician, she would probably be silent at this time. But, she isn’t shrewd nor is she particularly intelligent or scholarly. She’s a show woman addicted to show womanship, I think.
“Palin: Critics create 'blood libel' after Tucson shooting
Former Alaska governor expresses 'sadness,' says it is 'reprehensible' to blame rhetoric for the tragedy
Sarah Palin has posted a nearly eight-minute video on her Facebook page condemning those who blame political rhetoric for the Arizona shooting that gravely wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
Last spring, Palin targeted Giffords' district as one of 20 that should be taken back. Palin has been criticized for marking each district with the cross hairs of a gun sight.
In the video posted Wednesday, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate said vigorous debates are a cherished tradition. But she said after the election, both sides find common ground, even though they disagree.
But Palin said that especially as a tragedy unfolds, journalists and pundits should not manufacture what she called a "blood libel" that incites hatred and violence.
Video: Palin: Journalists incited 'blood libel' (on this page)
Palin said she had "listened at first puzzled, then with concern and now with sadness to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event."
'Acts of monstrous criminality'
She quoted former President Ronald Reagan as saying that "we must reject the idea that every time a law is broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker."It's time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions," Palin continued, still quoting Reagan.
"Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own," she added. "They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of the state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectably exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not with those who proudly voted in the last election."
Story: Conservatives scoff at attempted linkage to shooting
Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik had told the TODAY show Monday that political rhetoric may have contributed to Loughner's actions. "I think the tone of rhetoric that's occurred in this country over the past couple of years affects troubled personalities," he said.
Palin countered that and similar assertions, noting the "peaceful transition of power" when President Barack Obama took office and following the 2008 and 2010 elections, and pointing out that "vigorous and spirited public debates" are part of the process before candidates "shake hands and we get back to work, and often both sides find common ground back in DC and elsewhere."
"But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence that they purport to condemn," she added. "That is reprehensible. There are those who claim political rhetoric is to blame for the despicable act of this deranged — apparently apolitical — criminal."”
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YankeeJim
Arlington, Virginia, United States
Recommendations (6)
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nanute
New York, United States -
Grace H
Austin, Texas, United States -
Karen Hatter
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States



Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (20)
at 07:34 on January 12th, 2011
"MSNBC's Keith Olbermann is promoting an "Aunt Sarah's Moose Stew Countdown Raffle." The copy reads as follows: "For your chance to wash the taste of campaign lies out of your mouth with the savory Alaskan authenticity contained in a free can of Aunt Sarah's Moose Stew, click here or send a mail to Countdown@msnbc.com." It's not a goof? Respondents will actually be sent cans of something or other with the Aunt Sarah label?"
at 05:35 on January 13th, 2011
The most disturbing thing about Sarah Palin is she truly is absorbed by the fantasy world in which she lives.
The crosshairs map was a badly thought out visual and she should have stated that but, she will not.
Instead, most likely with her direction, she sent out the aide to give that nonsensical surveyor, 'we hired out the job for someone else to make, we saw it and said okay we like it' crap as a lame attempt to distance themselves from the graphic without REALLY distancing themselves from it..
All of the rhetoric that was spewed by Sarah Palin during the 'Take Our Country Back' national tour, hosting rallies, after the election of President Obama, when she AND conservative, Right Wing Republican politicians and personalities railed endlessly about the illegitimate nature of the current, duly elected Democratic Party controlled government, has inflamed passions in a way that is insidiously dangerous.
They've spent the majority of their time since the election of Barack Obama in 2008 spreading the Right Wing's tales of the government's plans to kill Americans, its plans to recreate a kind of Hitler youth meant to idolize President Obama, complete with literature that pictured the Right Wing's vision of how this task will be perceived, concentration camps, to be created from the 2010 census data and to be filled with everyone who doesn't agree with the allegedly socialist agenda of Barack Obama, this particular gem originating from Republican elected official, now head of the TEA Party caucus, Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann.
There is no denying the constant lunacy from the crowd Sarah Palin embraces, the TEA Party and its adherents, with whom about 25% of Americans agree, which is scary enough, but the TEA Party itself believes 85% of the American people agree with them, which in and of itself IS delusional, organizing around the idea that the President is an illegal alien, with the Right Wing TEA Party showing up at events with all manner of reprehensible signs, including ones like 'We came unarmed .... this time', has gone way beyond any rational person's understanding that a very dangerous tone has been set and has continued since the nation came to learn that Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain first unleashed this woman on the unsuspecting public 4 years ago.
at 10:03 on January 12th, 2011
Keith Olbermann is Rush Limbaugh commentary by another name. The liberal hate mongers alive and well represented by the usual chatterboxes. If Giffords was a Republican the likes of Olbermann would have buried the story and the Tucson Sheriff Dimwit would have injected a victim comment suitable to his political views into his crime theory of Loughner's behavior. After the assassination attempt of Reagan, liberals rejected Hinckley as being responsible and conjectured that GH Bush and the CIA plotted the assassination in an effort to rule the country. For weeks after the Reagan assassination attempt the liberal press sought hard to create a conspiracy involving the Bush family and the Hinckley's. One can not expect in this instance the actions of the liberal press will be any different. As usual the liberals are placing the blame on the focus of their hate while making excuses for the criminal as victim.
at 10:52 on January 12th, 2011
Fodder for fodder.
at 11:44 on January 12th, 2011
For all of the liberals are the same stuff, during those years, politicians that could be called liberals or democrats did not say or do anything near like what republicans have been doing since obama got elected.
at 12:34 on January 12th, 2011
Then you just fell off the turnip wagon last week or you are unquestioningly believing the Sarah Palin is responsible mantra being hyped by the left is something new or only conservative behavior. Liberals showed up at GW Bush events with signage reading: I'm here to kill Bush. Bush is the only dope worth killing. Hang Bush. etc, etc. Chris Matthews said on his show someone should shoot a exploding gas pellet into Rush Limbaughs head. Francis Fox Piven advocates violence for progressive change and said it should be a big part of the strategy. So you need to educate yourself or spend the rest of your life living as a turnip parroting whatever pap of the day suits your particular politics.
at 13:01 on January 12th, 2011
The lot that you mentioned lack qualifications to spurt from their large mouths with any credibility, and that includes some "liberals" you did not mention. Not me included.
at 14:12 on January 12th, 2011
Of course not. Nor myself. Wink wink, nudge nudge. :-)
at 11:07 on January 12th, 2011
Reason number "I've lost count" of why we don't want the soccer mom next door to run the country and nor did the Founding Fathers.
at 12:28 on January 12th, 2011
Once again, Caribou Barbie is claiming to be the victim. And some in the comments use false equivalence to excuse the behavior of the extreme right wing political and media figures that use violent/eliminationist rhetoric to justify this woman's "character." WASF
at 13:01 on January 12th, 2011
She makes me spew brown stuff.
at 12:29 on January 12th, 2011
Just keep that political Alaskan Hillbilly out of the White House !
at 01:25 on January 13th, 2011
Violent rhetoric from the right only eh? Like the targets from BHO's campaign trail. Or "the Republicans bring a knife, we'll bring a gun." The Founding Fathers would be happier with Palin running the country vs the socialists, communists and other wastes of skin trying to destroy America by way of political correctness and double speak.
at 07:07 on January 13th, 2011
The Founding Fathers would be happier if Sarah joined the Molly Pitchers.
at 07:11 on January 13th, 2011
As for double speak, yes that drives me nuts too.
http://my.nowpublic.com/world/biden-speaks-afghanistan-forked-tongue
at 12:25 on January 13th, 2011
well, Yankee, how opportunistic of you, just as bad as always. sure you don't want to join the tweetstorm death threats?
at 14:24 on January 13th, 2011
Hi Rene. Lock and load.
at 05:45 on January 14th, 2011
Jim, OMG! The twitterati are issuing death threats against "Our Lady of Perpetual Butthurt." Who are these twitterterroists? Anyone we know that is a prominent member of the media or political class? Or, could they be supporters of Palin? I think we need the justice dept. to confiscate all the twitter feeds and get to the bottom of this. STAT
at 06:31 on January 14th, 2011
New Legislation led by John Boehner attempts to regulate the caliber of Twitterfeeds and the number of feeds in a daily clip.
at 08:25 on January 14th, 2011
The ugly trend of threats or insinuated violence has been escalating for years now, Nanute. This is from 2009.
Source: abcnews.go.com