Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition, 6 others killed in Arizona

[DrScholl]

This is horrible.

[DrScholl]

I'll wait for more facts, but political motivation immediately crossed my mind. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

[DrScholl]

Kindly wait until we know for sure before you decide to twist and exploit a tragedy to fit your personal beliefs, Jack Thompson.

No matter who did this, what their views are, or what their reasoning was, this is inexcusable and horrible. May she rest in peace.

No need to get defensive. Political motivation would obviously cross anyone's mind in this situation. Mere speculation is to be expected, no lectures are necessary.

[DrScholl]

Fox News is reporting that one of the fatalities is a child.

[DrScholl]

MSNBC is saying that she was talking as she was wheeled into surgery. Still very conflicting reports about what is happening.

[DrScholl]

One would think that it would be irrelevant whether you admire the person or not in this situation.

Indeed. It's rather pointless to say something like that under the circumstances.

[DrScholl]

Does anyone know when was the last time a Congressman was assassinated? I feel like this is a pretty rare event in American history.

Rep. Leo Ryan, shot at Jonestown.

[DrScholl]

Sarah Palin can take her condolences and shove it. Her hateful rhetoric has endangered Rep. Giffords's life, and every other member of Congress. I hope both Palin is haunted everyday of the rest of her life by her actions partially leading to such an event.

If this turns out to be political, then I would hope that Palin takes a very serious look at what sort of rhetoric she uses.

[DrScholl]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/ariz_congresswoman_shot_in_head_YFTvsurRHy5OWGSRKnuK8J#ixzz1ATfPK9fq

Her father Spencer Giffords, 75, was rushing to the hospital when asked if his 40-year-old daughter had any enemies. "Yeah," he told The New York Post. "The whole tea party."

Can't blame him for telling it like it is.

[DrScholl]

Leave it to the classy folks here to immediately turn this into a political debate!

Very, very sad news. I was on my way back from a funeral when a friend texted me about it. Whoever did this will hopefully fry.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/ariz_congresswoman_shot_in_head_YFTvsurRHy5OWGSRKnuK8J#ixzz1ATfPK9fq

Her father Spencer Giffords, 75, was rushing to the hospital when asked if his 40-year-old daughter had any enemies. "Yeah," he told The New York Post. "The whole tea party."

And if George W. Bush was shot, his father would say W.'s enemies were "the whole American Left." That doesn't mean it would be a leftist plot. Terribly dangerous and irresponsible comment on the part of the father but I guess we can cut him some slack since his daughter was just shot and he was probably in a panic.

Oh, good grief.. Perhaps he wouldn't have said if he daughter hadn't have been threatened and had her office vandalized in the last year. It's not like he didn't have good reason.

You complain about some turning it into a political debate and you come in here attempting to do just that. Hypocrisy.

[DrScholl]

Catch it before it gets taken down.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Classitup10

Myspace was too quick.

That's very creepy. Freaked me out just watching it.

[DrScholl]

My "turning this into a political debate" was just providing one example why naming political enemies isn't appropriate in the immediate aftermath.

Yeah, sure, that's believable.

[DrScholl]

'Let's not make this political' really is Conservatalk for 'Uh, this is really going to damage us unless we make it about the other guys'.  Disgusting that anyone could think about that at a time like this.

Agreed.

[DrScholl]

Jan Brewer just got choked up while speaking about the tragedy. It's always good to see politicians act human.

[DrScholl]

Crocodile tears from a Republican. It's the new craze. See our new speaker of the house.

She was obviously being sincere, there was nothing fake about it.

[DrScholl]

From 2 months ago:

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201011080039

Well, from the reaction of some of the loony leftist posters here, Beck was right.

Actually, Beck seemed to be hoping for something like that, so he could portray himself as a victim, as so many on the right love to do.

[DrScholl]

Except, who is creating it.  It isn't the right.  It is the leftists here, and not all of them, that are trying to create this.

I'm willing to say that even though the guy was described as "left wing" and posted a video of himself burning a flag, he probably is disturbed, and not typical of the left wing.  Instead we have some of our leftists trying to tie to this to the right wing.

The leftist here fulfilled Beck's prediction, but not with any help from the right.

I think the point is that politicians and hosts need to self-moderate themselves and not create a dangerous climate. Just because this shooter cannot be easily fit in on the ideological scale, does not mean that inflammatory rhetoric isn't a problem.

[DrScholl]

I have some guesses about who that Senator might be, of course there are the obvious choices, but I would imagine it's someone that would completely surprise us since they wanted to hide their identity.

[DrScholl]

Again, the very point of all of this is very easy to understand. Rather or not anyone's rhetoric sparked the shooting, there are people who still need to stop using rhetoric that can incite trouble. We don't need anymore incidents like this, our political environment is out of control and it needs to be pulled back into stability.

[DrScholl]

Again, the very point of all of this is very easy to understand. Rather or not anyone's rhetoric sparked the shooting, there are people who still need to stop using rhetoric that can incite trouble. We don't need anymore incidents like this, our political environment is out of control and it needs to be pulled back into stability.

And who is supposed to determine which of these "people" must cease exercising their First Amendment right to free political speech?

Ever heard of self-moderation? It's not that hard and some people need to practice it.

[DrScholl]

Who are these people who need to practice self-moderation, and why are they undoubtedly on the other side of the political aisle from you?  And what do you propose to do to those who do not self-moderate to your standards?  After all, you say they NEED to practice it - even though there is absolutely zero evidence that supposedly heightened political rhetoric had anything to do with the Arizona shooting.

Can make a post with a ton of questions? With a member of Congress being shot, I would think everyone would be more careful in what they said about other members, so as not to potentially incite anything. Again, you are using hyperbole, I'm talking about self-moderation, not any legal action or punishment for radicals shooting their mouths off. No one is talking about taking away rights.

[DrScholl]

I strongly disagree with the notion that just because Jefferson said we should start shooting each other every 150 years, we should. It's also strange that someone who has spent the entire thread vehemently denying any association with incitement to violence would post that quote.

Very strange indeed.

[DrScholl]

Boehner didn't really need to be there anyway, but I don't really think the RNC leadership race was more important than the vigil. It's poor form as a leader.