[Anomander]

Sad news today. A US Congresswoman from Arizona was shot in the head at point blank range today while taking part in a public event.

Quote

An outspoken Democrat congresswoman was gravely wounded after an assassin opened fire with an assault rifle at a grocery store in Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday.

At least five people were killed and at least 10 injured in a burst of gunfire in what may be the first shooting of a federal politician since former president Ronald Reagan was shot two decades ago in Washington, D.C.

Gabrielle Giffords, 40, an Arizona congresswoman, was shot at close range in the head, according to eyewitnesses. She was greeting constituents at a grocery store. Some of her aides were reportedly among those wounded. At least one was reported killed and a child was also among those shot.

..........

The event was part of a series called “Congress on Your Corner” that Ms. Giffords has been hosting since she first took office in 2007, according to her website.

Globe and Mail article

Among the dead were a 9 year old boy, one of her Congressional aides, and a Federal judge. It's been reported that Mrs Giffords has received threats and had her office vandalized in the wake of Obama's health care bill. She's also one of the 20 politicians being "targeted" by Sarah Palin's Tea Party movement, a strategy which saw Palin mark the zones with gun style cross hairs. Mercifully it's being reported that she's responding to her doctors in some manner although she remains in critical condition.

In my opinion this tragedy seemed doomed to happen; the hatred and lies being spewed from politicians and political commentators alike was bound to bring some form of action from an extremist (whether they be liberal or conservative). Mrs Giffords unfortunately attracted negative attention from both sides of the spectrum with her beliefs and actions. My prayers go out to her and her family at this time.

[tiam]

A 9 year old ffs

[Aptorian]

Brings back memories of that debate about the right to bring guns to a rally... or well, just the right to bare guns but lets not get into that one, please. Anyone can get their hands on a firearm if they really want to.

It's going to be interesting to learn what the guys motivation is. 22 is a young age to be that politically zealous, but an age where you can also be manipulated if you're naive or angry enough.

[worry]

Seems like the shooter was a genuine nut, based on his youtube videos and such, with hints of influence from the palin/tea party side of things, as opposed to someone on the more traditional right/left spectrum. In other words he may have had political motivations, but they were malformed, scattershot, and more or less crazy rather than a fleshed out ideology (lib or con). His genuine insanity doesn't let Palin/Beck/neo-Gingrich types off the hook for their baiting rhetoric, of course, as they (deliberately) pave the roads these types travel.


This is the Congresswoman in question, who's been targeted (to a less extreme degree) before.

[RodeoRanch]

Just appalling. I hope she pulls through.

[Beezulbubba]

From Palin's Facebook (rifle scope targeting the congressional seats to take at the 2010 mid-term elections). Her quote (twitter): “Don’t retreat. Instead — reload!” was taken literally by this schmuck. It will be interesting to see how her spin machine responds.

[Ribald]

http://www.youtube.c...player_embedded

This is worth watching.

[stone monkey]

I believe Palin's taken that down now... And is probably soon going to claim that it never existed...

[worry]

Actually, she's claiming something even more stupid:
http://www.huffingto...a_n_806375.html

[stone monkey]

That's what they thought of? Really? She's dumber than I thought; which, in itself, is an impressive achievement..

[Silannah]

Apparently the poor kid that got shot was born on 9/11...

[worry]

Indeed. Also:
A neighbor was going to the Giffords event and invited Christina along because she thought she would enjoy it, said her uncle, Greg Segalini.
Christina had just been elected to the student council at her school. The event, held outside a Safeway supermarket north of Tucson, was an opportunity for constituents to meet Giffords and talk about any concerns they had related to the federal government.

[Ulrik]

Falstad Wildhammer, on 09 January 2011 - 12:43 AM, said:

From Palin's Facebook (rifle scope targeting the congressional seats to take at the 2010 mid-term elections). Her quote (twitter): "Don't retreat. Instead — reload!" was taken literally by this schmuck. It will be interesting to see how her spin machine responds.

You must be kidding me with this map. OMG...

[HoosierDaddy]

I suppose that the three who aren't coming back just happen to be blood red by coincidence?

Seriously, I know you have to spin it, but it is not a good spin. At all. Transparent as hell.

[Aptorian]

stone monkey, on 09 January 2011 - 10:28 PM, said:

That's what they thought of? Really? She's dumber than I thought; which, in itself, is an impressive achievement..

Come now. This is called lying to cover your mistakes. These people are not dumb, they are ruthless.

Just wait until the backlash against gun ownership begins again. Then they'll be arguing that if everyone in the crowd had been armed then this might not have happened. (If only they had been wearing powerarmor)

[Illuyankas]

I think he means that believing that excuse will convince people is what's dumb.

[Gothos]

Arizona? Nico? I'd love a comment from the guy right now, for a change.

In any case, this is barbarity, but apart from the guy being a nut and all that, someone terribly failed at providing security. This sort of shit would happen a lot more often if not for strong security measures... Someone failed. Big time. And now people are dead.

[Adjutant Stormy~]

Honestly, there are too many congressmen and security costs a great deal. (Can't very well place metal detectors everywhere).

I for one, am primarily appalled that some people are rejoicing at the death of a public servant.

[Tsundoku]

I look at the pictures of the fuckwit NRA/Tea Party/Palin/Militia type peoples, then I see the footage of the shitheads in Pakistan celebrating the murder of a progressive Governor, and I realise something:

Different faces, same fucktards.

I hope that lady pulls through.

Is AZ a death penalty state? Meh, a court will probably find he wasn't in command of his faculties anyway.

This post has been edited by Sombra: 10 January 2011 - 02:09 PM

[Shinrei]

Adjutant Stormy, on 10 January 2011 - 10:20 AM, said:

Honestly, there are too many congressmen and security costs a great deal. (Can't very well place metal detectors everywhere).

I for one, am primarily appalled that some people are rejoicing at the death of a public servant.

I'm out of touch with US media in large part, and upon reading this I've been hunting around but...who is celebrating? Links to news please.