This is deeply disturbing for so many reasons but most deeply I feel it is because of the failure of so many public officials over the course of the last several political seasons to carefully consider the divisiveness of their campaigning and the effect it has on the general public. Sarah Palin (R) for example had, until this tragedy occurred, a map on her website which specifically targeted "liberal" legislators through-out the country by marking them in the crosshairs of a gun's sight. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? The former governor of Alaska is not alone, candidates in every state have been campaigning on the basis of fear while failing to accept responsibility for the real consequences. Sharon Angle (R) said during the course of her 2010 campaign against Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D) that if voters don't get their desired results there may be "2nd Amendment remedies". Now, Angle claimed afterward that she in no-way meant to insight violence but really, again, what was SHE thinking?? An unstable and upset individual, like the man in Arizona who shot up a dozen or so people today will read into a comment like that and it will only feed his anger possible pushing him to commit an act of violence. Either public officials like Mrs. Palin and Mrs. Angle are too stupid or too careless to NOT realize their failure to the public in making such statements. Personally, I'd like to believe that it is the result of carelessness and not of ignorance.... because if it is ignorance, I'm truly terrified that such people could be deciding the laws which govern us all.
Hopefully today's events in Arizona will teach both ladies and all public officials to choose their words and their means of campaigning MUCH more carefully. Lives may be at stake.
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