Chicago Sun-Times: We can’t say we weren’t warned about Arizona shooting tragedy

[wndycty]

We can’t say we weren’t warned about Arizona shooting tragedy

Jan 9, 2011 11:25AM

We cannot walk away from this one.

We cannot blame one nutjob for the shooting of 19 people Saturday in Tucson, Ariz., and wash our hands of it.

We cannot pretend that this is only about him and not about us.

Worst of all, we cannot say we were not warned.

For more than two years, sensible people have been pleading with their fellow Americans to tone down the rhetoric, to quit with the demonizing, to end the fear-mongering.

In what kind of country, the sensible people asked, do political leaders across the board not condemn a sign at a rally that reads: “We left our guns at home — this time”?

In what kind of country do people show up at presidential speeches with guns on their hips?

In what kind of a country do callers to radio shows routinely smear those with whom they disagree — beginning with our president — as “traitors” and “un-American,” while pandering hosts say only, “Thanks for the call.”

If we continue this way, the sensible people warned, something will happen.
-snip-

http://www.suntimes.com/3220146-417/giffords-cannot-tucson-ariz-saturday.html

[xchrom]

1. look what happened to clinton when he called out the hate speech after oklahoma city. nt

[CountAllVotes]

2. this one "nutjob"

represents you Tea Party fanatics! It belongs to you so own it!

:dem:

[City Lights]

4. "Tea Party" = Republican in my book.

The GOP should not get away with distancing itself from the teabaggers. They are two sides of the same coin.

[CountAllVotes]

6. agree

It is one of the same no doubt about that.

Have noted the message boards today are rather vacant of the constant bashing of our President. :dunce:

When will these cowards crawl out of their hidey holes only to resume their racist bashing?

[still_one]

3. and yet some in the media today are defending that hate talk /nt

[aquart]

7. So are some DUers.

Incredible. Does every vile act have to have a legion of apologists and rationalizers?

[hlthe2b]

5. Good editorial... I am so angry at the Howie Kurtzes of the world

using the media pulpit to defend this crap and their own complacency and complicity. They need to be called out for this crap and their media sponsors notified--en masse.

[Drale]

8. A country that values guns

More than it values truth and knowledge, that's what kind of country.