Sheriff Blames Political Vitriol for Shooting of Congresswoman Giffords

The hatred and venon that anti-immigrant advocates spew can have dire consequences as we saw yesterday in the shooting of a member of Congress and the murder of a federal judge. It often seems to me that anti-immigrant advocates foment violence among hate groups intentionally. If it’s unintentional, then for goodness sakes, they really should tone down the rhetoric. Calm down; let’s have a civil conversation about immigration reform without distortions, half-truths, and racial overtones.

From USA Today:

Mourners held a candlelight vigil Saturday evening as U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords remained in critical condition after a shooting rampage that left six dead and 12 others wounded.

Her friend, Chris McGuire, called the shooting “an atrocity” and said she felt the violence was politically motivated.

“I’m shocked that this is what our country has come to,” she said. “It is vicious. It is unconscionable.”

Dupnik and others echoed her comments, blaming the shooting on vitriolic political rhetoric that has consumed the country.

“When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous,” the sheriff said. “And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”

Giffords expressed similar concern before the shooting. Last March, shortly after the House passed health care, Giffords’ congressional office in Tucson was vandalized. Afterward, she referred to the animosity against her by conservatives, including former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s decision to list Giffords’ seat as one of the top “targets” in the November midterm elections.

“For example, we’re on Sarah Palin’s targeted list, but the thing is, that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action,” Giffords said in an interview with MSNBC. Read more….

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