[Pesqueeb]

yeah cuz the dims are so good at teh governing too

wake up. they all need to be fired. (i did not and am not say 'fired AT')...just fired

This is a popular tea-tard sentiment here that always makes me LOL. Suppose you vacate every single seat of congress, senate, etc. Exactly whom do you propose replacing them all with that will "serve the public interest"? I have yet to receive an answer to this that wasn't just some vague, trite, philosophic platitude.

 

[ridetoofast]

we could start w/you 'squeeb....you're so balanced.
thinly veiled ad hominen attack aside can you really sit there w/a straight face and say the dims have done so well (lowest rating of congress ever not withstanding of course)
our government is broken and the same old same old just isnt going to cut it anymore.

to play along w/your dims are so perfect/lets slam the 'tea tards' rhetoric
how about members that are
a) term limited
b) forbidden to receive ANY lobbying
c) forbidden to introduce ANY legislation w/ANY ear marks
d) required to READ a bill BEFORE they sign it

i think that would be a damn good start.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Pretending that the the two sides are equal here is part of the problem. The right wing in this country is out control. They are unamerican and this sh!t needs to stop. The whole tea party movement is nothing more than the sanctioning of self absorbed douchebaggery.

The most offense part (so far) of all of this is has been all of these statements by Palin/Brewer/Malkin etc. expressing their "sadness", "shock", and "prayers for the victims". As if they haven't built their entire platforms and book deals around the demagoguery, fear mongering, and rhetorical pathos of encouraging people to go out and exercise "second amendment solutions". Puh-lease.

 

[X3pilot]

Pretending that the the two sides are equal here is part of the problem. The right wing in this country is out control. They are unamerican and this sh!t needs to stop. The whole tea party movement is nothing more than the sanctioning of self absorbed douchebaggery.

Yeah, cause attitudes like this on both sides hasn't led to where we are in the Battle of Asshattery Rhetoric.

How bout this is just a looney ass wipe who took the life of a lot of people?

What's sad is simply having political discussions is no longer good enough, there has to be the hate, name calling and bullets to accentuate our points. Your attitude is no better than Palin and Beck's.

 

[ridetoofast]

what he said...

 

[dante]

Yeah, cause attitudes like this on both sides hasn't led to where we are in the Battle of Asshattery Rhetoric.

Yeah, wake me up when the left starts bombing health clinics, shooting doctors in church, blowing up federal buildings, flying planes into IRS buildings, cutting gas lines at people's houses, etc...

The whole "but the other side does it too" is one of the weakest efforts to excuse the rightwing BULLSH!T that's going on in this country. It's trying to alleviate criticism by shifting the target of the debate, going after *all* political discourse as opposed to just focusing on WHO is actually doing all of this crap. While Olbermann gets points for standing up and calling for a more civil discourse, he wasn't the one who kept referring to someone as a "bably killer" (who was subsequently shot by a right-wing lunatic). He wasn't the one who had targets on the heads of congressmen that they wanted to get rid of, and he wasn't the one with targets on the heads of abortion doctors either (with red X's over the heads of those killed).

The violent vitriol is coming from one side in this debate, and any attempts to "show both sides of the story" is nothing but pure fantasy.

 

[Silver]

But the charged rhetoric from both sides is what created the climate of violence and fear.

Why don't you gather up some examples from the left?

I'll get some from the right.

Splitting the work 50/50 there, yeah?

 

[ridetoofast]

Yeah, wake me up when the left starts bombing health clinics, shooting doctors in church, blowing up federal buildings, flying planes into IRS buildings, cutting gas lines at people's houses, etc...

The whole "but the other side does it too" is one of the weakest efforts to excuse the rightwing BULLSH!T that's going on in this country. It's trying to alleviate criticism by shifting the target of the debate, going after *all* political discourse as opposed to just focusing on WHO is actually doing all of this crap. While Olbermann gets points for standing up and calling for a more civil discourse, he wasn't the one who kept referring to someone as a "bably killer" (who was subsequently shot by a right-wing lunatic). He wasn't the one who had targets on the heads of congressmen that they wanted to get rid of, and he wasn't the one with targets on the heads of abortion doctors either (with red X's over the heads of those killed).

The violent vitriol is coming from one side in this debate, and any attempts to "show both sides of the story" is nothing but pure fantasy.

so..
you're saying the left has NEVER committed any acts of politically motivated violence?...
really?

 

[valve bouncer]

That was some hard, stark words from the sherrif there. Wonder if Sheriff Joe'll have him drummed out of the sheriff's union for pussying sh*t up?

 

[MMike]

so..
you're saying the left has NEVER committed any acts of politically motivated violence?...
really?

i think you just proved his point right there.

 

[Silver]

i think you just proved his point right there.

But too dumb to understand how he did, exactly...

 

[X3pilot]

Yeah, wake me up when the left starts bombing health clinics, shooting doctors in church, blowing up federal buildings, flying planes into IRS buildings, cutting gas lines at people's houses, etc...

The whole "but the other side does it too" is one of the weakest efforts to excuse the rightwing BULLSH!T that's going on in this country. It's trying to alleviate criticism by shifting the target of the debate, going after *all* political discourse as opposed to just focusing on WHO is actually doing all of this crap. While Olbermann gets points for standing up and calling for a more civil discourse, he wasn't the one who kept referring to someone as a "bably killer" (who was subsequently shot by a right-wing lunatic). He wasn't the one who had targets on the heads of congressmen that they wanted to get rid of, and he wasn't the one with targets on the heads of abortion doctors either (with red X's over the heads of those killed).

The violent vitriol is coming from one side in this debate, and any attempts to "show both sides of the story" is nothing but pure fantasy.

Your astute political analysis is of great comfort to the family of the little girl killed. I'm sure they are relieved to know they can pin this on a pin headed political stance.

Dante, you too proved my point.

 

[valve bouncer]

The mystery second guy interests me. Puppet master? Sounds like they may have a fair idea who he is but are keeping it close to their chests.

 

[dante]

Your astute political analysis is of great comfort to the family of the little girl killed. I'm sure they are relieved to know they can pin this on a pin headed political stance.

Dante, you too proved my point.

Funny how the right-wing never tries to disassociate the political (or religious) persuasions of terrorists who happen to be either middle-eastern or Muslim...

 

[Pesqueeb]

we could start w/you 'squeeb....you're so balanced.

Oh you, stop it...

thinly veiled ad hominine attack aside.

1. There is nothing thinly veiled about it. My distaste of the policies and philosphy of the radical right in this coutry is pretty much unbound. Thanks for noticing.
2. There is nothing "ad hominine" nor "thinly veiled", about the violence that the tea-tards have been advocating with a wink-wink/nudge-nudge who then proclaim to be shocked and saddened when violence breaks out.

I'm sure they are relieved to know they can pin this on a pin headed political stance.

That’s the thing, all of the blood spilled yesterday can in fact be pinned on a political stance. That of the radical right.

 

[Pesqueeb]

Funny how the right-wing never tries to disassociate the political (or religious) persuasions of terrorists who happen to be either middle-eastern or Muslim...

Exactly. Remember in the PDX bomber thread where I said that if the guy had been white he would have been referred to as "disturbed" and a "loner", and everyone would be using terms like "tragedy" a lot more? I rest my case.
Can you imagine the absolute apoplectic right wing frothing frenzy that would be going on if this kid had had a little more melatonin in his skin and worshiped something other than teh jeebus?

 

[Pesqueeb]

When the going gets crazy, the crazy turn pro.

 

[MikeD]

Funny how the right-wing never tries to disassociate the political (or religious) persuasions of terrorists who happen to be either middle-eastern or Muslim...

Even I gotta point out that this is the case.

My first thoughts were "domestic terrorism."

Still, we'll see how it turns out in the end. This guy looks like someone with a massive need to latch on to ideology to make sense of the world, and the RenegadeRick TeaTard zeitgeist was a really bad time for him to be searching for something to guide him.

Terrorism either way you cut it...I bet if he acted alone, he's labeled a nutjob by the media and if he had help, he's a domestic terrorist. We'll see how it pans out...

 

[MMike]

Stolen from Toshi's facebook

http://www.examiner.com/democrat-in-national/rep-gabrielle-giffords-caught-sarah-palin-s-crosshairs-shot-arizona

 

[dante]

Even I gotta point out that this is the case.

My first thoughts were "domestic terrorism."

Still, we'll see how it turns out in the end. This guy looks like someone with a massive need to latch on to ideology to make sense of the world, and the RenegadeRick TeaTard zeitgeist was a really bad time for him to be searching for something to guide him.

Terrorism either way you cut it...I bet if he acted alone, he's labeled a nutjob by the media and if he had help, he's a domestic terrorist. We'll see how it pans out...

Can you imagine the right-wing claiming that 9/11 was just a small group of disturbed individuals with mental problems who were following the orders of one insane guy in the deserts of Afghanistan?



Yeah, neither can I...

 

[$tinkle]

Obviously, if the 9 year old had a gun, she would have taken out the shooter. It happens in the movies all the tim

Why don't you gather up some examples from the left?

just following orders?

I want you to argue with them and get in their face,? he said.

?And if they tell you that, ?Well, we?re not sure where he stands on guns.? I want you to say, ?He believes in the Second Amendment.?

That?s the thing, all of the blood spilled yesterday can in fact be pinned on a political stance. That of the radical right.

you got some wicked good sources that not even the MSM has access to. rock on, freaky bro.

oh, for funzies, google a few things on left thuggery on the topics of
- ann coulter & speaking @ universities
- SEIU "protesting" at AIG higher-up's home
- town hall crowd violence during the obamacare run-up
- ELF
- black panthers & voter intimidation
- & going back further: lynching

which segues nicely into:

 

[MMike]

Can you imagine the right-wing claiming that 9/11 was just a small group of disturbed individuals with mental problems who were following the orders of one insane guy in the deserts of Afghanistan?



Yeah, neither can I...

no because that was all dick cheney's idea too.

 

[stoney]

I still have my cards out that there will be an increasing amount of violence towards the government as the country becomes exceedingly polarized. As people of both perspectives become farther apart from any common center, I think that one side driven by fear and anger will become the drivers of this violence.

My thoughts and concerns are that we are starting to see this begin, and it's coming from what we define as the right. The added scary aspect of this, is that a very large portion of our soldiers/former soldiers are of this camp. We have effectively trained large populations of individuals who are sympathetic to the fears and anger towards the government and change that we are currently seeing.

The "red" states are becoming more conservatively polarized; the "blue" states are becoming more liberally polarized. And if you look at the census, with exception of population grown in Arizona, most 'blue' states lost population in large scale. One the flip side, Idaho had the highest growth rates in the country. Also the Caucasian populations in the conservative states grew, while shrinking in the populous liberal states (CA, NY, IL).

If you want to extrapolate a secondary assumption from that data, states like CA, NY, and IL are losing tax revenue in large scale. While this can be explained by unemployment numbers, there is also that little fact that Caucasian's generally make more money than their non-white counterparts. The white, money-backed populations are fleeing to states that more support their beliefs and do not use them as ATM's.
All of this can only lead to an even greater polarization of the country.

I do not support or condone the violence that we have just seen in AZ, but I fear it might be the outwardly visible edge of a slippery slope towards additional violence.

 

[MMike]

True leadership is about making other people better as a result of your presence—and making sure your impact endures in your absence.

I saw this in an article the other day.

It makes be continue to wonder if Obama can truly be an effective president. He is a very polarizing figure, regardless of how smart he is, or how much I agree with him.

I think Bush started the polarization. And now Obama might be making it worse. I don't recall Clinton being AS polarizing. But I wasn't really paying that much attention back then.

 

[MikeD]

A fat, dishonest lecher didn't polarize America. Story at 8PM!

 

[$tinkle]

All of this can only lead to an even greater polarization of the country.

I do not support or condone the violence that we have just seen in AZ, but I fear it might be the outwardly visible edge of a slippery slope towards additional violence.

while i agree w/ the 1st sentence, i believe this will result in more geographical isolation, which will in turn lead to fewer opportunities for acting out. however, the leftist areas where intellectually elite & mooches collide will result in nothing less than thunderdome. that's the way i see a collective of a similarly-thoughted political group where you have both consumers *OR* producers.

oh, and if there's an applicable law on teh books for capital punishment, i cannot imagine a situation where it shouldn't be meted out. kill a 9 y.o. girl? for this alone: hang 'em high

ok, back to watching bridezilla's w/ my girl. dem bitchez be crazy...

 

[dante]

A fat, dishonest lecher didn't polarize America. Story at 8PM!

You mean the guy that left office with a 65% approval rating, the highest of a retiring president since WWII?

 

[MikeD]

Like I said, he didn't polarize America.

I think he was a ****ing disaster, approval rating aside. People just don't look at the damage he did because they liked him and he somehow managed to maintain a great public image.

 

[stoney]

while i agree w/ the 1st sentence, i believe this will result in more geographical isolation, which will in turn lead to fewer opportunities for acting out. however, the leftist areas where intellectually elite & mooches collide will result in nothing less than thunderdome. that's the way i see a collective of a similarly-thoughted political group where you have both consumers *OR* producers.

oh, and if there's an applicable law on teh books for capital punishment, i cannot imagine a situation where it shouldn't be meted out. kill a 9 y.o. girl? for this alone: hang 'em high

ok, back to watching bridezilla's w/ my girl. dem bitchez be crazy...

Regarding the isolation. As communities become more isolated, the more the government wants to take from these isolated communities, the more backlash there will be against that 'greater authority'.

As for the producers/consumers, I think we are beginning to see it. The risk is that at some point, the consumers will consume more that the producers will let go of. As the producers leave, the gap will widen (possibly Detroit reference).

Capital punishment, while harsh, is a strong deterrent to crime. It is one of the few things I actually agree with the Arabs on.

 

[Pesqueeb]

kill a 9 y.o. girl? for this alone: hang 'em high

Like I said, he didn't polarize America.

I think he was a ****ing disaster, approval rating aside. People just don't look at the damage he did because they liked him and he somehow managed to maintain a great public image.

Also
I have a friend back in Cali, who, believe it or not leans much further left than I do. She said once several years ago that she thought Bill Clinton might have been the worst president in history, and at the time, I heartily guffawed. I have, however with time, come to the conclusion that she was/is correct on this, for two reasons. 1. Repeal of Glass-Steagall, and 2. His inability to keep his dick in his pants resulted in the socially conservative/sexually repressed back lash that resulted in a W. Bush presidency. There are more reasons Slick Willy was bad, but the afore mentioned two are enough.

 

[dante]

Joker - Dunno, I see it a bit differently. According to the 2010 census, the only state that *lost* residents over the past 10 years was MI. Every other state gained residents, but the only question was who gained *more*. In addition to NM as you stated, NV gained the most (35%, and it just reelected Harry Reid in a year of Republican wins across the country).... Actually, NM only gained 13%, behind a lot of other states. FL came in at ~17.5%, and even CA came in at 10%, which is pretty astonishing since they have a population of over 37m people.

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/index.php

What's interesting is that to me, it's not the "producers" who are moving to these states, it's the net "consumers." FL is becoming known as god's waiting room because they have a low tax burden, including no property taxes if you live there year round. Who wouldn't want to retire there when you get the same Medicare benefits as someone living elsewhere and you don't have to pay the $4000-8000 annual property taxes? That's fine as long as FL can keep the tourism industry alive (along with fleecing/ the "snowbirds" who only live there 6mo out of the year), but what happens when people get fed up with the airlines and the travel and start to shift vacations closer to home? The country is littered with previous vacation destinations (see upstate NY) that are now economic wastelands.... Services have to be paid for, and money has to come from somewhere.

It's not that red states are getting redder, it's that many of these "red" states are being inundated with "blue" voters. Remember, FL, VA, NC, WA, OR and NV all went for Pres. Obama in 2008, and out of all of that group the lowest population growth was OR with 12%. CO went blue in 2008 and again in 2010 (for Senate, at least), and they had 17% growth.

Every single GOP demographic is on the decline with regards to population numbers. White. Religious. Older. Socially conservative. Whether the right can generate excitement to increase voter turnout among their demographic groups is one thing (it's how they "swept" to power in 2010). Reversing that demographic trend or trying to appeal to groups that currently shun them is something completely different. I just see this as a last grasp of a group that was in power and is finding themselves on the wrong side of history. History is against them. Long-term trends are against them. Demographics are against them. Birthrates are against them. Immigration patterns are against them. It's understandable why they would think that they are "losing their country" and try to fight back, which I believe is what we're seeing today. Unfortunately I see it getting worse before it gets better too....

 

[dante]

Oh, and I'm quick to assign blame so that *hopefully* this extremist bullsh!t stops here and now. Extremism (on either side) continues and grows until there's a watershed event that changes history. An event like the Birmingham church bombing in 1963, or the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 drew immediate condemnation not only of the extremists but also their supporters, and ultimately ended up having the opposite effect then the perpetrators had intended.

 

[X3pilot]

Let me be clear, I am neither condoning or defending anybody in this event. Just saying it's tiresome with all the political rhetoric being bantered about by people that don't really believe what the spew. (Beck, Palin, etc) but are looking for the next sound bite, interview, ratings pull and book deal. Then idiots take them at their word, believe everything they say, treat them as gods and then follow through with events like happened yesterday. The sad part is this will be used as a rally point to stir up both sides.

The idiot that did this yesterday no more can be a representative of any demographic than Hinckley could be a representative of Jody Foster fans.

The real reason this country has gone to **** is because of things like yesterday.

 

[$tinkle]

Yeah, wake me up when the left starts flying planes into IRS buildings,

not that he was a leftist, but i believe his 'manifesto' was unequivocally anti-capitalist. a disturbed individual, certainly.

oh, i'm finding some fun stuff to hopefully help convince those types who believe it's all jizz-lobbing t-baggers who're of the thinking that resulting in the OT:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/14/obama-we-bring-a-gun/

?If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,? Obama said

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9VJNrgOxlBI/TSn3Wg2q7bI/AAAAAAAAACw/MdDYMuIE2Tw/s1600/Daily+Kos-+My+CongressWOMAN+voted+against+Nancy+Pelosi%21+And+is+now+DEAD+to+me%21_3.png

nidal malik hassan (did anyone put his name up in this thread yet?) was an anti-war murderer. not sure he fits nicely into the right wing tbagger camp, especially since he's a brown muslim, eh?

and if we really "care" about inappropriately using the crosshairs in ads, then commence w/ the pearl clutching (@ :07)

another bizarre nugget of trivia: the 9 y.o. girl was born on 9/11/01

** and **

her name is christina taylor greene -- 3 names!!!!

 

[dante]

The idiot that did this yesterday no more can be a representative of any demographic than Hinckley could be a representative of Jody Foster fans.

Seriously? A mentally unstable male loner who was withdrawn from friends, white, in his 20s, interested in the military, possessed hatred of the government, was *afraid* of the government and it's control over everyday life, and was upset at the actions of a recently elected Democratic government....

Have we REALLY not heard this story before??

 

[dante]

Funny how the right-wing never tries to disassociate the political (or religious) persuasions of terrorists who happen to be either middle-eastern or Muslim...

nidal malik hassan (did anyone put his name up in this thread yet?) was an anti-war murderer. not sure he fits nicely into the right wing tbagger camp, especially since he's a brown muslim, eh?

Yeah, I rest my case.

 

[drkenan]

nidal malik hassan (did anyone put his name up in this thread yet?) was an anti-war murderer. not sure he fits nicely into the right wing tbagger camp, especially since he's a brown muslim, eh?

Holy fvck you're reaching hard to prove no point. Just because you don't classify that guy as a right wing nutjob doesn't mean that he's a left wing nutjob.

Look - let me save you some time. Some liberal hippie pvssy just ain't gonna shoot up a rally/commandeer a plane/whatever. It's not in their nature and their pvssy leaders aren't there to fuel the hate a la Beck, Palin, etc.

 

[$tinkle]

Yeah, I rest my case.

if your case is "anyone who commits this crime must have tbagger roots" -- and i think it is -- your case (such that it is) seems to lack appropriate rigor. if the case you're attempting to make differs starkly, you'll have to let me know in terms that even a conservative can understand

Holy fvck you're reaching hard to prove no point. Just because you don't classify that guy as a right wing nutjob doesn't mean that he's a left wing nutjob.

correct. make note that i didn't make that claim, but demonstrated lack of causation, i.e., politically motivated murderer does not mean tbagger

Look - let me save you some time. Some liberal hippie pvssy just ain't gonna shoot up a rally/commandeer a plane/whatever. It's not in their nature and their pvssy leaders aren't there to fuel the hate a la Beck, Palin, etc.

[foxnews strawman alert]
nor is the left comprised of those types exclusively.

assume you know the left firmly has in its ranks SEIU, ELF, pro-palestinians (read: anti-israel), and various strange specimens found in the berkeley area. oh, and before dismissing any of those as being small in number and therefore insignificant, this thread is borne out of the acts of [at most] 2 men.

and while i believe the left is mostly delusional, i don't believe they're mostly violent. like any other group.

 

[dante]

if your case is "anyone who commits this crime must have tbagger roots" -- and i think it is -- your case (such that it is) seems to lack appropriate rigor. if the case you're attempting to make differs starkly, you'll have to let me know in terms that even a conservative can understand

Are you seriously that deluded? Or intentionally obtuse? Notice the first post that I quoted:

Funny how the right-wing never tries to disassociate the political (or religious) persuasions of terrorists who happen to be either middle-eastern or Muslim...

and then note the second post I quoted:

nidal malik hassan (did anyone put his name up in this thread yet?) was an anti-war murderer. not sure he fits nicely into the right wing tbagger camp, especially since he's a brown muslim, eh?

So: First I made the point that the right-wing never disassociates the political (or religious persuasions of terrorists who happen to be middle-eastern or Muslim. Then on your next post, you proceeded to use as an example a mentally unstable person who you dutifully noted was both brown and a muslim.

Lets recap:

1) I said that the right-wing did something
2) You did exactly what I said they did
3) I pointed that out and rested my case

Simple enough for you? If not, I give up.

 

[Pesqueeb]

WASHINGTON -- Some of the most pointed comments in the wake of Saturday's tragic shooting in Arizona regarding the dangers of vitriolic political discourse have come from Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who said his state has "become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry." As a consequence of speaking out, Dupnik is now coming under attack, with a talk radio host even calling for his resignation.

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

Although Dupnik has since been embraced by many observers -- there's a "Clarence Dupnik is My Hero" Facebook page, and MSNBC's Keith Olbermann called his comments "extraordinary" -- others are not so pleased.

In an interview with CBS's "Face the Nation," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said Dupnik's comments were inappropriate and nothing more than "speculation."

First, I didn't really think that that had any part in a law enforcement briefing last night. It was speculation. I don't think we should rush to speculate. I thought that the report that we just saw from Tucson seems to have it about right: We really don't know what motivated this young person except to know he was very mentally unstable as was pointed out in the piece.
It's probably giving him too much credit to ascribe a coherent political philosophy to him. We just have to acknowledge that there are mentally unstable people in this country. Who knows what motivates them to do what they do? Then they commit terrible crimes like this. I would just note Gabrielle Giffords, a fine representative from Tucson, I think would be the first to say don't rush to judgment here.

Right-wing radio host Jon Justice, who is on KQTH FM 104.1 in Arizona, has called for Dupnik's resignation and taken issue with the sheriff's singling-out of talk radio.

"To say, as Dupnik did, that comments made on the airwaves essentially motivated this person to commit this crime is exactly what he blamed talk radio of doing, inciting through pure rhetoric," Justice said in a statement to Tucson Weekly. "It was complete misuse of his power and he owes the media in town, TV and radio, an apology for his horrible comments in the middle of such a tragic day. He should step down immediately from his position as Pima County Sheriff."

Dupnik has been the sheriff of Pima County, which sits right along Arizona's border with Mexico, since 1980. Last April, he forcefully denounced the state's controversial immigration law, stating, "This law is unwise, this law is stupid, and it's racist. It's a national embarrassment. ... If I were a Hispanic person in the state, I would be humiliated and angered. From that point of view, I think it's morally wrong."

In a press conference Sunday, Dupnik stood by his remarks about dangerous political rhetoric. When asked about his comments from the day before, he replied, "I think that when the rhetoric about hatred, about mistrust of government, about paranoia of how government operates and to try to inflame the public on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has impact on people especially who are unbalanced personalities to begin with."

Dupnik also had harsh words on his state's gun laws, which allow individuals to carry concealed weapons without a permit. (Gov. Jan Brewer signed the legislation into law in April.)

"Well, I think we're the tombstone of the United States of America," he said, adding, "I have never been a proponent of letting everybody in this state carry weapons under any circumstances that they want, and that's almost where we are."

UPDATE, 4:26 p.m.: The Atlantic reports that Tea Party Nation, led by Judson Phillips, is joining in the criticism: "TPN founder Judson Phillips, in an article linked off the e-mail 'The shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and the left's attack on the Tea Party movement,' described the shooter as 'a leftist lunatic' and Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik as a 'leftist sheriff' who 'was one of the first to start in on the liberal attack.' Phillips urged tea party supporters to blame liberals for the attack on centrist Democratic Rep.Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, who was shot through the head and is now fighting for her life, as a means of defending the tea party movement's recent electoral gains."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/09/clarence-dupnik-arizona-sheriff_n_806440.html

WASHINGTON -- Shortly after news broke that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) had been shot at a congressional event in her district, observers began noting that she had, during the campaign, literally been Sarah Palin's target. But a Palin aide is now explaining that it was all a misunderstanding: the infamous image was never meant to evoke guns or violence.
Palin's "Take Back the 20" campaign (the website has been taken down since the shooting) called on Americans to vote out of office Democrats from conservative districts who had voted for health care reform.

On March 23, she posted an announcement about the campaign on her Facebook page, which was accompanied by an image of her targeted districts. The districts all had crosshairs over them, which are usually associated with gun sights.

But SarahPAC staffer Rebecca Mansour, who has been tweeting in defense of her boss since the tragedy took place, is stating that the crosshairs were never intended to be gun sights. "We never ever, ever intended it to be gun sights," she said in an interview with talk radio host Tammy Bruce Saturday. "It was simply crosshairs like you'd see on maps." Bruce suggested that they could, in fact, be seen as "surveyor's symbols." Mansour added that "it never occurred to us that anybody would consider it violent" and called any attempts to politicize the Arizona tragedy "repulsive."

The suggestion that the symbols were related to guns seemed to come, however, from Palin herself. On March 23, Palin tweeted to her supporters a note about the aforementioned Facebook message, writing, "Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America: 'Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD!' Pls see my Facebook page." And as Politico's Jonathan Martin points out, in November Palin boasted about defeating 18 of the 20 members on her "bullseye" list.

Of the 20 districts targeted by Palin, Giffords and Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.V.) were the only two candidates to win over her PAC's chosen Republicans.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/09/sarah-palin-rebecca-mansour-crosshairs-arizona_n_806375.html