Arizona mass shooting

[Good Old Neon]

...but some on the left thought it was a good thing to attempt to make political hay and that to me says alot

 

Andrew Sullivan makes a good point with respect to the media's initial reaction:

 

But how could they not when Giffords herself had noted the map at the time and worried about what it might portend? The MSM would have been blatantly irresponsible not to make the connection - if only to note the irony and tragedy, if not to assert an empirical, causal link. David is right to call out those who flatly and crudely drew a direct link without any substantive information. But to raise the question and explore it? How could we not?

 

To inquire into such a hideously violent culture, where you are put in cross-hairs, endure countless threats, have an opponent posing with an M-16, and a brick thrown through your campaign office window ... and then end up shot at close range? Well, it's a no-brainer. Brooks' own paper today has an enlightening story about the particularly fetid and violent atmosphere in Giffords' district. It's good journalism.

[u2roolz]

One thing that really upsets me is the seemingly constant news coverage of "the 9 year old girl" who lost her life. Don't get me wrong it is horrible, but it seems like she has been put front and center in all of this and it seems to have taken on a life of its own. I hardly have heard anything about any of the other victims, besides the judge and the aide to Giffords. I had to go to a few websites to find out the other victims' names because I never heard them mentioned once. Maybe I didn't catch it? But I do know that I've come across various stories about this girl whose age seems to be emphasized every time and her name to be lost in the shuffle. It's sickening to me that she is being used as an invisible wagging of the finger to both sides, as if to say "See, if you keep this shit up a 9 year old will be caught in the crossfire."

[ikol]

Andrew Sullivan makes a good point with respect to the media's initial reaction:

 

But how could they not when Giffords herself had noted the map at the time and worried about what it might portend? The MSM would have been blatantly irresponsible not to make the connection - if only to note the irony and tragedy, if not to assert an empirical, causal link. David is right to call out those who flatly and crudely drew a direct link without any substantive information. But to raise the question and explore it? How could we not?

 

So it was actually responsible to immediately link the shooting to political rhetoric, because Skygod forbid the media actually wait until they have any solid information to report? They've gotta fill the airwaves with speculation and play the blame game immediately. And the whole "I'm just asking questions" while making unfounded accusations sounds eerily similar to how Glenn Beck excuses his crazier rhetoric.

[Good Old Neon]

So it was actually responsible to immediately link the shooting to political rhetoric, because Skygod forbid the media actually wait until they have any solid information to report? They've gotta fill the airwaves with speculation and play the blame game immediately. And the whole "I'm just asking questions" while making unfounded accusations sounds eerily similar to how Glenn Beck excuses his crazier rhetoric.

 

That’s not what he’s saying at all. Here’s the link to the article in its entirety – should you read it, I think you’ll come to a different conclusion.

 

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/the-politicized-mind-of-gabrielle-giffords.html

[M. (hristine]

Sigh.

[Guest Jules]

Who's this Andrew Sullivan character and why does he have so many thoughts?

[ikol]

That’s not what he’s saying at all. Here’s the link to the article in its entirety – should you read it, I think you’ll come to a different conclusion.

 

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/the-politicized-mind-of-gabrielle-giffords.html

 

I did, and my conclusion is pretty much the same.

 

Who's this Andrew Sullivan character and why does he have so many thoughts?

 

He has cranial diarrhea caused by irritable brain syndrome.

[Good Old Neon]

I did, and my conclusion is pretty much the same.

 

Fine, I'll post only the part that contradicts your conclusion:

 

The MSM would have been blatantly irresponsible not to make the connection - if only to note the irony and tragedy, if not to assert an empirical, causal link.

[Doug C]

I agree with Sullivan that since Rep. Giffords herself raised a concern about the Palin crosshairs map regarding it possibly relating to violence and was shot at a district meet and greet, it is appropriate for journalists and commentators to talk about it. It would be poor journalism to ignore it. She brings the issue up and then is shot in the head. That doesn't prove that the two are connected but, damn, that is what transpired.

[Guest Jules]

Is Andrew Sullivan black or white?

[Good Old Neon]

Is Andrew Sullivan black or white?

 

He's neither, he's whack.

[Doug C]

Is Andrew Sullivan black or white?

He is the same as you, sir.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Andrew should just register here since his opinion is the most-posted in any politically-minded discussion here.

[Doug C]

Andrew should just register here since his opinion is the most-posted in any politically-minded discussion here.

Isn't his screen name Good Old Neon?

[Guest Jules]

He is the same as you, sir.

Huh, I had him pegged as a white guy.

[Doug C]

Huh, I had him pegged as a white guy.

Nope. You two are bruthas from otha muthas.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Isn't his screen name Good Old Neon?

 

Touche.

[Tweedling]

Who's this Andrew Sullivan character and why does he have so many thoughts?

[ikol]

Fine, I'll post only the part that contradicts your conclusion:

 

The MSM would have been blatantly irresponsible not to make the connection - if only to note the irony and tragedy, if not to assert an empirical, causal link.

 

That was actually in your original quote, and my conclusion is not affected by bolding and enlargment. The tragedy was not any political statements made by talking heads unaware of what would later happen, but the fact that several people were senselessly killed or injured by a mentally ill guy who fell through the cracks. I didn't realize the media's responsibility was to point out irony. Maybe they could stick to reporting facts, and if they ever master that, they can move to higher forms of analysis. And it wasn't just that those kind of things were brought up, but also that they became the main focus in assigning blame. When people should be coming together to support the victims and their families, we instead get all this finger pointing from both sides.

[augurus]

What? Why has Glock sales surged since Saturday?

[Guest Jules]

It's a quality gun.

[Magnetized]

Andrew Sullivan is a British-born, gay white conservative. He's a frequent guest on Bill Maher's show.

 

I thought Jon Stewart had the most insightful commentary on the killings on his show last night--not surprising, since he usually does. And the whole Rally to Restore Sanity was about this exact same issue: take it down a notch. I know people who get annoyed with Jon for asserting a false equivalency between right-wing mudslingers and their (supposed) left wing counterparts, and personally I agree that the teabaggers, etc., are WAY worse--their hatred, fear and stupidity know no bounds. But that's all the more reason I admire Jon for trying to work in that very specific groove of reason, rationality, mutual respect, tolerance. Me, I'm not so tolerant, but I do admire the effort he makes. It's a really hard line to straddle.

 

Here's the whole opening segment from Monday night's show:

 

My link

[uncool2pillow]

I am not asking this in jest. Is Andrew Sullivan still a conservative? It seems like most of what I read (usually through GON, but sometimes I happen upon his stuff elsewhere) is anti-Republican stuff.

 

Is he for reining in spending, lowering taxes, balancing the budget, gun rights, an aggressive foreign policy, ending abortion rights, "traditional marriage"? Now I consider myself conservative, but don't agree with everything on this list. Does he agree with any?

 

eta: Has he basically gone through a Huffington-like transformation?

[ih8music]

I am not asking this in jest. Is Andrew Sullivan still a conservative? It seems like most of what I read (usually through GON, but sometimes I happen upon his stuff elsewhere) is anti-Republican stuff.

 

Is he for reining in spending, lowering taxes, balancing the budget, gun rights, an aggressive foreign policy, ending abortion rights, "traditional marriage"? Now I consider myself conservative, but don't agree with everything on this list. Does he agree with any?

He agrees with traditional conservative (not neo-con and not religious right) values. Generally speaking, he sees very little of that in the current cast of characters in today's GOP.

 

you can read his book, The Conservative Soul

 

Today's conservatives support the idea of limited government, but they have increased government's size and power to new heights. They believe in balanced budgets, but they have boosted government spending, debt, and pork to record levels. They believe in national security but launched a reckless, ideological occupation in Iraq that has made us tangibly less safe. They have substituted religion for politics and damaged both. In The Conservative Soul, one of the nation's leading political commentators makes an impassioned call to rescue conservatism from the excesses of the Republican far right, which has tried to make the GOP the first fundamentally religious party in American history. In this bold and powerful book, Andrew Sullivan makes a provocative, prescient, and heartfelt case for a revived conservatism at peace with the modern world, and dedicated to restraining government and empowering individuals to live rich and fulfilling lives.

 

his blog is one of the better ones out there for political news & commentary. http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/

[Doug C]

... and my conclusion is not affected by bolding and enlargment.

What kind of man are you?