Jared Loughner
Though long ago, I recall a saying from my childhood that pretty much summed up the attitude of the nation when assaulted by vitriol; "sticks and stone can break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Damn near sixty years later, it appears that words can hurt me, especially if I am the one who is saying them. Of course, it also depends upon whom those words are directed.
Since the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, along with the murder and wounding of numerous bystanders, several sources have suggested the suspect, Jared Loughner, was incited to his actions by the words of people like, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. There have even been some finger pointing at blogger Mike Vanderboegh, from "Sipsey Street Irregulars" also. As a result, some members of Congress want to make politically targeted vitriol illegal.
Ashamedly, I must admit that I'm not the brightest bulb in the crayon box and I had to look up the word vitriol. In a two part definition, the first half says vitriol is a highly corrosive acid made from sulfur dioxide. The second says, "abusive or venomous language used to express blame, censure or bitter deep-seated ill will." Likewise, I felt it necessary to look up censure, which is defined as "harsh criticism or disapproval and / or the state of being excommunicated." (bear with me, there are just too many big words here) And excommunicated is defined as "oust or exclude from a group or membership by decree."
Using my best attempts at deduction, (such as it aint) I have been able to come up with this conclusion; If Congress is able to pass this loaf of legal fecal matter, any one of us who strongly objects to the continuing political shenanigans in DC can be charged with political vitriol and shipped off to the gulag. (which in itself is a form of excommunication... i would think) I guess then, in it's most simple form, the political elite want a nation of mindless drones who will follow without question through fear of legal reprisal, regardless of the games the political elite may play. If correct in my analogy, to them I say, take leave and fornicate thyself.
It is a very far stretch of the liberal imagination to cast blame on the words of a few for the actions of others. Especially when the few are some of the most outspoken against those liberals. If it were in fact the case, should anything bad befall Sarah Palin, et al, I would think it reasonable to point a few fingers at the likes of Katie Couric, who took the time to promote the concept of a Palin / Loughner "conspiracy by vitriol" during her Nightly News broadcast of 01 10 11. Take a good look at the photo above and it's plainly obvious. The voices in his head are self created and self contained.
I have read several quotes made by Loughner's friends, neighbors and others who interacted with or around him. All painted a picture of a person who would be the perfect candidate for extended elctro-shock and mega dose lithium therapy. A female who attended a college class with Loughner said as soon as she heard the news of the shooting, she immediately suspected Loughner. She also claimed that, while attending that class, she actually feared that Loughner projected the type of personality to bring an "automatic weapon" to class and start shooting everyone. That doesn't sound like a sudden inspiration of Limbaugh, Beck or Vanderboegh to me. This guy was born with a couple of aberrant brain cells and then allowed to mingle amongst us, unattended, despite his patently obvious lack of social skills.
Rather than talking about regulating freedom of speech or the right to keep and bear arms, perhaps what Congress really needs to consider is the regulating of the mentally insane. But then, I suppose that would severely limit the voter turn out for the progressives... and the progressive candidate pool.
MikeH.
Since the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, along with the murder and wounding of numerous bystanders, several sources have suggested the suspect, Jared Loughner, was incited to his actions by the words of people like, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. There have even been some finger pointing at blogger Mike Vanderboegh, from "Sipsey Street Irregulars" also. As a result, some members of Congress want to make politically targeted vitriol illegal.
Ashamedly, I must admit that I'm not the brightest bulb in the crayon box and I had to look up the word vitriol. In a two part definition, the first half says vitriol is a highly corrosive acid made from sulfur dioxide. The second says, "abusive or venomous language used to express blame, censure or bitter deep-seated ill will." Likewise, I felt it necessary to look up censure, which is defined as "harsh criticism or disapproval and / or the state of being excommunicated." (bear with me, there are just too many big words here) And excommunicated is defined as "oust or exclude from a group or membership by decree."
Using my best attempts at deduction, (such as it aint) I have been able to come up with this conclusion; If Congress is able to pass this loaf of legal fecal matter, any one of us who strongly objects to the continuing political shenanigans in DC can be charged with political vitriol and shipped off to the gulag. (which in itself is a form of excommunication... i would think) I guess then, in it's most simple form, the political elite want a nation of mindless drones who will follow without question through fear of legal reprisal, regardless of the games the political elite may play. If correct in my analogy, to them I say, take leave and fornicate thyself.
It is a very far stretch of the liberal imagination to cast blame on the words of a few for the actions of others. Especially when the few are some of the most outspoken against those liberals. If it were in fact the case, should anything bad befall Sarah Palin, et al, I would think it reasonable to point a few fingers at the likes of Katie Couric, who took the time to promote the concept of a Palin / Loughner "conspiracy by vitriol" during her Nightly News broadcast of 01 10 11. Take a good look at the photo above and it's plainly obvious. The voices in his head are self created and self contained.
I have read several quotes made by Loughner's friends, neighbors and others who interacted with or around him. All painted a picture of a person who would be the perfect candidate for extended elctro-shock and mega dose lithium therapy. A female who attended a college class with Loughner said as soon as she heard the news of the shooting, she immediately suspected Loughner. She also claimed that, while attending that class, she actually feared that Loughner projected the type of personality to bring an "automatic weapon" to class and start shooting everyone. That doesn't sound like a sudden inspiration of Limbaugh, Beck or Vanderboegh to me. This guy was born with a couple of aberrant brain cells and then allowed to mingle amongst us, unattended, despite his patently obvious lack of social skills.
Rather than talking about regulating freedom of speech or the right to keep and bear arms, perhaps what Congress really needs to consider is the regulating of the mentally insane. But then, I suppose that would severely limit the voter turn out for the progressives... and the progressive candidate pool.
MikeH.
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