Gabrielle Giffords: A Victim Of Violent Fox News/Tea Party Rhetoric?
There was a shooting today in Tuscon, Arizona that has taken several lives and has left a United States Congresswoman struggling to survive. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), is out of surgery and is clinging to life. Sadly, Judge John Roll and several others who have not been identified (including a ten year old girl) have already been pronounced dead.
While there are some disturbing components to this story (itemized below) it is way to soon to attribute motives in this particular case. However, it is not too soon to reiterate the predictable danger that results from irresponsible and violent language that has become far too common in recent years. Fox News has been at the forefront of this trend, permitting their top personalities to engage in dialogue that is overtly hostile, as well as promoting the most vile elements of the Tea Party.
Bill O’Reilly’s labeling of Dr. George Tiller as “Tiller the baby killer” may have played a part in Tiller’s murder. Glenn Beck’s relentless condemnation of George Soros and the Tides Foundation was cited as inspiration by a man who was apprehended after a police shootout while he was on his way to kill Tides and ACLU personnel. Sean Hannity refers to his audience as “Tim McVeigh wannabes” to thunderous applause. Liz Trotta joked about “knocking off” President Obama.
But the risk is not limited to direct threats as those listed above. The tone of many Fox News hosts and analysts is just as dangerous. They cavalierly describe their political adversaries as radicals, communists or fascists who are deliberately destroying America and blaspheming God. What do they expect people to do upon being terrorized by that sort of delusional peril?
I want to emphasize that the facts to follow are not necessarily connected to the gunman in today’s news. But they are notable nevertheless for how they illustrate potential risks due to the sort of anti-social behavior that is encouraged on Fox News.
Rep. Giffords was targeted by the Tea Party and their AstroTurf benefactors Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks.
Glenn Beck attacked Giffords with his co-host calling her a moron for her support of renewable energy in the military.
At a recent event held by Giffords in Arizona, police were called after an attendee dropped a gun.
Giffords’ office was vandalized just hours after she voted for the health care reform package.
Giffords’ opponent, GOP/Tea Party candidate Jesse Kelly, held an event where supporters were encouraged to “Get on Target for Victory in November Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly.”
Also killed was Federal Judge John Roll, who had received numerous death threats after ruling to allow a case involving illegal immigrants to go forward.
Giffords was one of the politicians to whom Keith Olbermann made contributions, leading to his three day suspension from MSNBC.
Sarah Palin (“Don’t Retreat – Reload”) put Giffords on her Hit List.
Joyce Kaufman, talk show host and aide to Rep. Allen West told a Tea Party rally: “If ballots don’t work, bullets will.”
GOP/Tea Party Senate candidate Sharron Angle said: “If this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies.”
And perhaps most poignantly, Rep. Giffords father, Spencer Giffords, 75, wept when asked if his daughter had any enemies. “Yeah,” he told The New York Post. “The whole Tea Party.”
I repeat, these may have no connection to today’s shooting. But they are indicative of a problem in the media that must be addressed. There have been plenty of other acts of violence whose connection to this sort of rhetoric is well documented. And there have been credible warnings about just this type of tragic event.
To be clear, I am not calling for any kind of censorship. I am calling for responsibility on the part of the press, and absent that, accountability. The people who deliberately use incendiary language to fire up their followers cannot get off scot-free when the predictable consequences occur. It could not be said better than how Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik put it in a press conference addressing the shooting this afternoon:
“When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous,” the sheriff said. “And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”
- Fox News FINALLY Refudiates Violent Rhetoric 8/31/10
- Glenn Beck Drops Veterans From 8/28 Rally 8/19/10
- CNN’s Rick Sanchez To Fox News: You Lie! 9/18/09
- Glenn Beck’s Fear Mongering In The Wake Of Tragedy 6/11/09
- Bill O’Reilly Lies About Army Recruiter Shooting 6/6/09
You sure hope theirs a connection. The majority are dead set against Obama’s and the progressive lefts agenda. You and your elk will use any possible ploy to silence us. This is a sad day for America. A terrible crime has taken place. We on the right will still fight for what we believe in, just as those on the left would fight for there believes if a Republican was assassinated!
Leave my elk out of this.
Mark, game over. The cheap fear mongering tactics of the GOP have employed have come to roost. Ironically it hurt someone that most closely reflected the stated ideals of the GOP.
I live in Arizona and the atmosphere here has been nasty for quite sometime. Politicians have been in a race here to amp up the fear and hate because it reliably gains them votes or money. While the moderate majority in Arizona has been either repelled or apathetic to the changes in attitude this has brought.
Mark you and others like you can no longer double down on the crazy like in the past. Gabrielle worked and completed numerous constituent cases. She truly worked for citizens of Arizona and that’s undeniable whether or not you agree with her politics. This fact was the largest reason she narrowly won re-election even in a bitterly anti-incumbent/democratic climate in a state that is historically Republican.
I can’t tell you how much violent rhetoric I’ve heard parroted by my fellow Arizonian’s. This group is a minority but for reason I still don’t completely understand the most vocal minority. In your statement you say “You sure hope theirs a connection.” I can unequivocally state that this is a connection.
When I hear many Republican’s talk about Mrs. Giffords it was rarely in a political tone. Very few Republicans would simply state disagreement or displeasure at the decisions Giffords made. Instead their opposition was framed in extreme rhetoric painted in tones of death and destruction. Gifford’s wasn’t simply making foolish or harmful decisions on Arizona’s behalf. She was doing things that would bring death and starvation to Arizona’s populous.
If someone was to attempt to bring bodily harm or death to you or any of your loved ones you’d be justified in retaliating with violence with extreme prejudice. No one on this website would argue with that.
Unfortunately the GOP’s opposition to many of Gabrielle’s policies was framed in this disgusting manner. Her support for Obama’s health care reform wasn’t simply wrong, it was evil and would lead to “death panels” or real harm to your family. Many of my fellow state citizen’s took this to heart. I guess I understand why they were so vocal now. They erroneously believed that they truly were under attack. They were lead to believe this by organizations such as Fox News and the GOP. And the reason they employed these tactics because as I stated before they reliably brought in the political and real capital.
An incident like this has been brewing for sometime. I know first hand, I was personally been choked almost to unconsciousness for expressing progressive views. The point is, my state has sadly let this state of affairs progress to this sad tragedy. But I can tell you this, it won’t continue. This is Arizona’s wake up call. Gifford’s was truly admired here and whether you believe it or not democratically elected to lead the district I live in. Arizona fell asleep at the switch for sure, but we are a proud and smart people. Our University, UofA, leads the world in numerous fields of research just to give you an example. And we won’t let this tragedy define us. Hopefully she’ll pull through. And if she does, watch out Mark. Because if you think “just as those on the left would fight for there believes if a Republican was assassinated” you ain’t seen nothing yet!
Obviously, this is a certifiable paranoid schizophrenic: according to various things that he’s posted on the internet, he hears voices. Nevertheless, the choice of target and the access to lethal weaponry is socially-determined.
I may have to take back the first part of my previous statement if the following is true — http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/09/jared-loughner-youtube-videos-_n_806370.html?ref=fb&src=sp — and if he actually did have an accomplice.
See this analysis by Juan Cole.
This was political and it’s motivations were ingrained in the ideology of the far right even if this perpetrator was nuts.
The right has actively been recruiting nuts. They know what their rhetoric will produce and even now they insist that they will continue as if nothing happened.
The real reason this happened was because of the liberal leftist agenda scaring this young man by telling him he is stupid for what he believes. He was just stopping the liberal bullies.
This is about 1/2 as insane as your ridiculous theory!
The right actively recruits about the same number of nut jobs as the left. Which is zero. Nobody wants to be associated with someone who is insane. I’m a conservative and disagree strongly with the liberal agenda but I will NEVER shoot anyone. It’s safe to say that NO liberal that posts here would shoot me either, So to make this argument about politics is just shameful.
“Nobody wants to be associated with someone who is insane.”
Then explain all the people who want to be associated with Glenn Beck.
Mike, you are not the problem. You sound like a sane, conscientious conservative. But there are people out there like Loughner who are twitchy. It is they who are “inspired” by the psycho-talk. And people like Beck, O’Reilly, Murdoch, et al, know that, yet they continue to spew their hate speech. Can’t they be just as passionate about advocating their issues without resorting to overtly hostile language? Can’t they regard their political adversaries as people with whom the disagree, rather than as traitors and Satanists?
Keith Olbermann spoke yesterday about this and included himself as amongst those who have crossed the line. He apologized. Isn’t that the rational way to approach this? Why can’t conservative leaders do that?