WP: A Place Where Passions Run High (Rep. Giffords District)

[godai]

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords returned here on a sweltering day last June to gather footage for her campaign advertisements. A moderate Democrat in a classic swing district, she walked a main street where American flags hang outside shoe stores and barbershops. A voice-over emphasized her strengths: independence . . . courage . . . integrity. With the camera rolling, a man stormed out of the Gadsden Hotel, a historic landmark. He screamed that Giffords was about to get "thrown out" of office, creating such a scene that police intervened. "He began viciously, verbally attacking Gabby," said Jason Ralston, Giffords's Washington-based consultant who was directing the action. "I've never seen anything like it."

Pitched emotions - centered on the issues of immigration, health care and the economy - have fueled an atmosphere here that encourages vitriol, according to interviews with more than two dozen state political leaders and residents. An anti-Washington sentiment has flourished as people blame their elected leaders, not just for failing to fix problems but for passing laws that only add to the mess.

A new Facebook page - Tea Party Tucson Massacre - has cropped up, blaming the tea party for the deaths of the six people, including a 9-year-old girl. On Friday, a new image appeared mocking the tactics of Republican Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and vice-presidential candidate, who targeted Giffords's district during the election with a map marked with cross hairs. (A Palin aide said the image was intended to represent surveyors' marks.) The image of a T-shirt on the site shows the marks plastered atop Palin's face.

As she campaigned for reelection, Giffords knew immigration would be a huge constituent issue, her aides say. She emphasized border security but came under heated criticism for not backing a state effort to more aggressively identify and deport illegal immigrants. But her top aides said they were taken aback when gun rhetoric escalated during the campaign. "There was a lot of hostility and gun talk," said Rodd McLeod, Giffords's campaign manager. "And when you are campaigning, you are publicly advertising where you are going to be."

In August 2009, as the health-care debate ratcheted up, a protester brought a gun to one of Giffords's "Congress on Your Corner" events at a supermarket in Douglas. The man reportedly shouted disparaging words at Giffords and drew the attention of police after he dropped his firearm.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/16/AR2011011604433_2.html?sid=ST2011011700437

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I don't blame the tea party. Loughner is obviously mentally ill.

But I am grateful for the conversations this incident has prompted.

I also don't think it's helpful to pass around pictures with targets on Sarah Palin's face. We should be better than that. And we can't criticize the right for their violent rhetoric and imagery while we respond with the same.

[Kali]

2. agree

[NC_Nurse]

3. I agree mostly, but I don't think you can control every yahoo on the Internet.

The difference is that some unknown jerk putting targets on someone is NOT the same as someone in a position of fame and power doing it. Palin and her ilk have a lot of influence over the baggers. One anti-Palin fool on the Internet does not constitute an equivalency.

There are over the top anonymous jerks on both sides. They simply cannot be wished away. I don't think it's fair to suggest both sides are doing the same things if they have their leaders saying inflammatory things and we don't.