Gabrielle Giffords

Stories

[six killed eleven wounded @ guardian]

[live feed as new details emerge]

[interesting take on situation/ plea for mental illness care by doc who has cowritten book with Glenn Beck]

[“The ubiquitous nature of the Internet means that not only threats but also hate speech and other inciteful speech is much more readily available to individuals than quite clearly it was 8 or 10 or 15 years ago,” Mr. Mueller said. “That absolutely presents a challenge for us, particularly when it results in what would be lone wolves or lone offenders undertaking attacks.” ]

[official criminal complaint ]

[links to killer's youtube videos]

[What’s not transient, unfortunately, is the technological trend that drives much of this. It isn’t just that people can now build a cocoon of cable channels and Web sites that insulates them from inconvenient facts. It’s also that this cocoon insulates them from other Americans — including the groups of Americans who, inside the cocoon, are being depicted as evil aliens. It’s easy to buy into the demonization of people you never communicate with, and whose views you never see depicted by anyone other than their adversaries.]

Discussion

One thing that keeps popping up when I read opinions on the factors that motivated this tragedy is how technology, particularly the internet, impacts dangerous radical factions. I think that, as much as this event brings to the table the need for a reassessment of our political discourse, it also brings a need to assess the potential "dark side" of the technological innovations we so strongly advocate. --Jacobwhite 11:29, 13 January 2011 (CST)

Obama's speech in Tuscon tonight brought me to tears. It is time for a new urgency and new clarity in our common cause. Democracy, Liberty, and Justice shall not perish from this earth. We have only to remember that we are in this thing together. We are all brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. This is our earth, this is our time, this is our chance to leave this place a little better than we found it. We are all trying to make this world better. Just because somebody disagrees on how to do that doesn't make them your enemy. We are all fighting for what we believe in. We are all human. So let's not forget our humanity. Let's not forget that part of us that heeds a higher voice. Let's not forget what brought us here in the first place.

Take Care to Practice Love,

--Isaac 20:36, 12 January 2011 (CST)

Okay, so I was pretty sympathetic at first, thinking that maybe there should be a while where we just focus on the tragedy, before laying blame, but after the 'blood libel' comment, I'm pretty riled up. How are other people feeling about all this?

--Isaac 17:44, 12 January 2011 (CST)

---

This is a true tragedy. My father met Giffords once, in 2006. Even then, he knew that she was special, destined for big things, a voice of reason.

I recommend that you watch the killer's youtube videos for yourself. I added a link. As much as it might be easy to say that this is a product of Palin/Beck hatemongering and vitriol, there is more here than meets the eye. I mean, the guy is obviously insane, but the videos speak to a kind of insanity somewhat different than the tea party brand.

I dunno. Decide for yourself.

--Isaac 00:09, 10 January 2011 (CST)