Don't let the shootings scare you.

[cooolandrew]

I mean the intention of all this is to exert some kind of fading control but they are an ever shrinking and shunned minority. Just ride the storm. The civil rights movement refused to be oppressed and kept moving forward come hell or high wind, that is the sentiment that has to carry folks through the rights last throes. It'll pass and it'll be better on the other side. Their attacks only show the need and drive for progress is more important than ever before, channel the fear and create the dream an authentic one. "Nothing to fear but fear itself." Mostly as fear invites danger. We're winning they know it so we keep going.

[Lerkfish]

1. so... we should let them get away with murder, then?

okeydoke.

[cooolandrew]

3. Erm where did I say that !!??? No idea what you mean sorry.

[Lerkfish]

5. I must have misinterpreted "weather the storm"

to me, that implies a passive stance rather than an active one.

[petersjo02]

4. Of course not!

What a silly thing to say. Bit of a rush to judgment maybe? OP means don't despair during these trying times. Have some faith in our justice system and understand we'll come out on the other side with regard to this violence against liberals and liberal ideas of all stripes.

[BootinUp]

2. I agree with that sentiment.

thanks
JM

[HopeOverFear]

6. I hate when wonderful posts like this get misunderstood by idiots.

Anyway, thanks for the pep talk, cooolandrew, I appreciate it, even if no one else does.

[Raine1967]

7. Thank you.

I will ride the storm -- I will also embrace passive resistance.

[damonm]

8. Happy to recommend...

As you're right on - much like the bigots in the South in the 1960's, they see their world is going away forever, and they're in desperation mode.

And there are a LOT more of us than there are of them.

Time, and the tide of history, are firmly on OUR side. They try to make much of the recent Conservative wins in Europe, but they fail to realize OBAMA would be a Conservative by EU standards. NOWHERE are they not in headlong retreat.

[Land Shark]

9. Agreed, Don't over- react. THAT will come back to bite all Americans. K&R nt

[Senator]

10. K&R

[chknltl]

12. Love your sig line

because of it, I'll be putting back up the Impeach Bush avatar I've also used over the past 3-4 years. Thanks for reminding me what is truly important.

[Politicalboi]

13. I love that picture

He holds our future can be said for both of them. And on the eve of the Iranian elections, I think if the green team wins, a lot of good is going to happen even though this is a dark time here in the US with all the shootings.

[chknltl]

19. Thank You

The line 'He Holds Our Future' was intended to refer to both the adult and the child. To me, also on a deeper level, I see it to be a symbol of hope for the demise of racism-that America's children can take comfort in the arms of our first black President.
Fellow DUer Colbert Watcher hooked me up with this photo, it touched me deeply when I first saw it and it has touched many of our fellow DUers as well.

As to the shootings, I agree with the OP that we should not allow fear or hate to creep in to our sensibilities when we discuss those shootings. IMO perhaps some good can come from these tragedies if we keep the discussion/debate going nationally and rationally. I believe that we need our nation to see that some of the horror we have faced was fueled by right wing talkers pushing the buttons of those who are both ignorant and fearful and worse: oftentimes quite racist.

[Senator]

17. Well, thanks.

And I agree that you have a wonderful photo in yours.

I just (audaciously) hope that we can succeed in reminding Obama what is truly important. He seems to have forgotten.

---

[AtomicKitten]

11. I'd be less scared if they weren't armed to the teeth. n/t

[Solomon]

23. Unfortunately, more people will die until this passes.

[Uzybone]

14. the enemies of peace and progress are lashing out

[Kaleva]

15. Your attitude probably would change if you were shot

[chknltl]

16. This latest shooting should reignite the gun debate....

...I do fear that that particular debate will fuel the repuke meme that the Dems are out to destroy the 2nd amendment. I suspect this meme will be thrown out there by the repukes as a diversion from the debate we should be having over much needed societal changes-the changes alluded to in the OP. Although saddened by this murder as well as the murder of that doctor last week (and a personal tragedy where someone I knew was murdered with a handgun quite recently), I share the view that folks need to not allow these acts to impact their daily lives with fear or hate. I'd like to think that America is done with the right wing's fear and hate mongering. Let us hope/push for debates in America and let us hope that those debates are a prelude to a safer/saner America.

Off topic: Which Presidential administration allowed for the suspension of our Second Amendment rights on our soil? Answer: The rEPUBLICAN administration of g.w. bushwhacker just after hurricane Katrina down in the New Orleans area. (My fave point to counter the argument that we Dems are out to take away everyone's guns!)

[Indenturedebtor]

18. Oh good god no... last thing we need is another "Them Jews Did It" episode

especially one relating to gun control. Yikes.

[chknltl]

22. I doubt the repukes are that self destructive

The repukes seem quite talented at throwing up diversions, they've had a lot of practice and a lengthy history of blaming the Dems of being behind the destruction of the Second Amendment. I'm predicting that if America's attention remains focused on the recent tragedies and especially on the underlying causes, (Ed Shultze spent over an hour on it today for instance), then we will see this repuke meme memo to be given out to the right wing scream machine to be used as a diversion.

The very last thing they want is for America to be talking about how the likes of Hannity, Coulter, Limbaugh or O'Riely and etc. are fueling and fomenting fear and hatred on a scale like Goebbels did-(which is exactly what that part of our media has done!). We need as a society to see these underpinnings of the fascism that has all but destroyed our democracy in America. Once the curtain has been fully pulled back, one has to believe that we will hardly be a nation divided any more and a time of accounting can perhaps begin.

[TheKentuckian]

20. Ain't nobody skeert!

Terrorism doesn't make me want to cower a bit. Maybe, I feel I have more to gain than to loose.

[TheKentuckian]

21. The gun debate won't reignite if we don't cause it to

If they bring it up and we scoff at the very idea then it will eventually drop. The problem is some on our side will be spurred into action by events and push for a massive overreach. They must be ignored, this is one issue that must be utterly left alone or it will be damn hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube. For the time being that is seriously one pure distraction issue that can get us caught up. The progress made in the mountain west and south must not be undone over bullshit.

[marshall]

24. Not all Muslims are terrorists

I don't want to see an upswing in hate just because one crazy shot a couple of soldiers in Arkansas.