(CNN) -- Until we have more definitive information about the shooter, pointing fingers at who might bear responsibility for the Tucson, Arizona, massacre only contributes to what we must end in America: a toxic political environment.
Soon after the news broke, the internet lit up with accusations, even before we knew anything at all about the man who pulled the trigger. Much of the early commentary, especially from the left, blamed the Tea Party, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, etc. for employing a rhetoric of militarism and creating a climate of hate.
Commentators from the right soon retaliated, arguing that the left was just as guilty of rhetorical excess and through bad governance, had inspired a citizen revolt. As of this hour, we have a country that is not only deeply saddened but even more divided than we were before the shooting.
We can do better -- a lot better.
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http://gergensvoice.blogspot.com/2011/01/no-time-for-finger-pointing.htmlMy response to him:
If not now, when? You in the media sat by while Sarah Palin basically placed a hit on Gabrielle Giffords and 19 other Democratic Congresspeople. I didn't hear one peep from you or anyone else on the right. So you tell us, when is the time to play the blame game? After another congress person is dead? After some nutcase kills the president? After some innocent child is killed. Oh, excuse me, that already happened.
If you sanctimonious "consultants" had spoken up when all of this hate speech was being spouted day in and day out, if you cowards had had the guts to criticize those Tea Partiers walking around with their guns and don't tread on me posters, this might have been avoided. But you didn't.
And we all know why you didn't. Violence sells, controversy sells, sex sells. Serious discussions about the problems facing our country don't sell.
Any thoughtful person could have told you and all those other "consultants" what publicizing hate speech 24/7 would lead to and YOU DID NOTHING. You sat by silently.
Please don't tell us now is not the time.