Arizona Rep. Giffords shot in head, at least 5 killed

[x635 4,066]

I'm not a gun control person, as I believe people will get guns to use no matter what. All gun control does right now is keep guns out of people who use them properly hands. There is no federal funding to get guns away from nutjobs and enforce the "laws". Full disclosure, my father owned a business that sold guns and ammunition, so a lot of my childhood was paid for with that money.

However, these shootings are getting crazier and crazier.I do feel gun control laws need to be stricter, and more funding and staffing to go with it. This is getting to be domestic terrorism, and this anti-government movement is growing larger and larger.

Politicians are now going to seriously have to fear for their safety, as I'm sure there are people contemplating doing the same. To be able to protect politicans, we're going to have to spend millions of dollars. And they won't even be allowed to go out in public.

Arizona Rep. Giffords shot, at least 5 killed

By TERRY TANG, AMANDA LEE MYERS and DAVID ESPO, Associated Press Terry Tang, Amanda Lee Myers And David Espo, Associated Press – 9 mins ago

TUCSON, Ariz. – Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head Saturday by a gunman who opened fire outside a grocery store during a meeting with voters, killing a federal judge and four others in a rampage that rattled the country and left politicians fearful for their safety. "It is a tragedy for Arizona, and a tragedy for our entire country," President Barack Obama declared.

FULL STORY: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_congresswoman_shot

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

No matter what your politics this is a tragic event. The moron who did this will without a doubt fry for this and at least we can take solace in that fact. Whatever this idiots political ideals, he just set them back to the stone age with these senseless killings.

[ec255 22]

The whole thing is a tragedy all the way around- I for one feel there are more than enough gun laws on the books( many of them just make it more difficult for the law abiding citizen to own firearms or are just plain ineffective)- just not necessarily the resources to enforce them. This is one of the unfortunate byproducts of living in a free society- nut jobs are out there.

RIP to those whose lives were taken and my prayers to those fighting for their lives.

[abaduck 123]

I've had a look around various news sites covering this story, especially the comments sections, and I'm profoundly depressed at the number of people (on both sides) who straightaway, before the blood was even cleaned up, made this a partisan political issue. The guy who did this was apparently a total bloody nut job; these comment-posting people who would make this political aren't nuts, they're simply *hateful*.

[Just a guy 493]

I was deeply saddened to lear of this tragedy. This is NOT a partisan issue, this is a CRIMINAL issue. This motherless bastard committed a horrific crime and shot at people regardless of political affiliation, who knows if he actually wanted to kill the Representative or just wanted to make his crime a high profile one and this large gathering of innocent people was the first one he came across. No matter what his reasons were, I hope with every ounce of my being that his trial will be quick as will his being sentenced to death and then I hope his death is slow and painful. May God Bless Rep. Giffords and the others who were wounded and may those that were killed rest in eternal peace.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

If you read this crazed killers writing and videos that have been posted by the major media outlets you will find a very distinct political sentiment that is expressed. It rails again many things crisscrossing the political aisle and spectrum, from education to the gold standard for currency to immigration. It seems apparent that at least some part of this tragedy was politically motivated, however it continues to remain unclear against who and why. Obvious Rep. Giffords, the Federal Judge and others were shot, injured and killed; what remains to be seen is why they were selected for this senseless action. This moron is clearly crazy, you don't shoot a member of the House of Representatives and a Federal Judge because everything is alright and in order up there, but what else is going on needs to be seen and determined for any real justice, closure and explanation. Let this event be the end of the vitriol, partisan, hyperbolic rhetoric on both sides otherwise this will only be the beginning of the bloodshed to come. (Think of the assassinations of the 1960's, the race riots of the 80's and Oklahoma City Bombing in the 90's as examples of when the vitriol of partisan politics have been taken to far like in this case.)

Edited January 9, 2011 by bvfdjc316

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I was deeply saddened to hear of this tragedy. This is NOT a partisan issue, this is a CRIMINAL issue.

Absolutely, I agree that this is a criminal issue. I'm a pretty hardline conservative,but I would NEVER want something like this happening to anyone. I too am praying for those who were lost and those still fighting to stay alive.

I really hope this scumbag gets the needle for what he did, these actions are completely unjustifiable, whatever the political motivations may be. The Founders set up this government so that everyone had an opportunity to bring about change WITHOUT the need for bloodshed, because at the time people had seen the cost of those methods, and were not willing to pay it again. I guess some people just don't appreciate that or understand that, but that, above all else, is the most important part of the Constitution.

However, these things don't happen in a vacuum, this IS a political incident. One Federal Judge was assassinated and a member of Congress was almost assassinated. But what we all see is that this ISN'T how to get things changed in government. This was the act of one whacko who wanted to take his extremist views into his own hands. Far be it from me to agree with bvfdjc on anything, but he's right, this WILL set back the conservative movement in America. Regardless of the fact that none of us true conservatives want to be associated with this scumbag and that we all condemn these types of actions, this was still a Democrat shot by a conservative, and unfortunately that's ALL that most people are going to hear. The fact that he's a fringe extremist I fear will be lost in the media and political jockeying to come, simply because its the story certain people want to hear.

[PEMO3 523]

All politics aside, from 9 years old to 79 years old lives were lost and countless others changed forever include that of Congresswoman Gifford and her family. The only thing that sicked me more than this senseless act of violence and loss of life is the announcement just moments ago in the Huffington Post that the Westboro Baptist Church, the Topeka church known for its inflammatory anti-gay protests, plans to picket the funerals of the six people killed in Arizona on Saturday including that of the young 9 year old girl. What has this world come to?

[abaduck 123]

Sage, he listed the communist manifesto amongst his favourite books, and he posted a video of a flag-burning on YouTube. So the right can make him out to be a commie-loving flag-burning nut job, and the left can make him out to be a right-wing nut job foaming at the mouth after listening to one too many shock jocks. Both are wrong and are shamefully using this for political ends; he was a nut job plain and simple, his insane motivations had nothing to do with what you, I, or any sane person would call 'politics'. This was a Cho, not a McVeigh. To those calling for the death penalty, I sympathise but to be honest I doubt he'll be found sane enough to try. If he is tried, he'll probably be found too insane to convict; he belongs in a a secure hospital.

(Oh and for the record, my politics tend to the right, but I'm really more a libertarian than anything else)

Edited January 9, 2011 by abaduck

[SageVigiles 1,194]

The only thing that sicked me more than this senseless act of violence and loss of life is the announcement just moments ago in the Huffington Post that the Westboro Baptist Church, the Topeka church known for its inflammatory anti-gay protests, plans to picket the funerals of the six people killed in Arizona on Saturday including that of the young 9 year old girl. What has this world come to?

Speaking of nutjobs... the Westboro "baptist church" is another group of scum we could surely do without. Those are the ones who protest servicemen and women funerals because of some anti-gay message or something, right? I still struggle to comprehend the connection between the two, but whatever, understanding crazy people makes my head hurt.

Sage, he listed the communist manifesto amongst his favourite books, and he posted a video of a flag-burning on YouTube.

Duck, I wasn't aware of that, thanks for the info. Maybe he was just totally batcrap crazy and not an ideologue.

[JAD622 40]

Although this entire event is surely tragic, I feel that the most horrific aspect of this tragedy is that this "mental case" shot an innocent 9 year old girl to death in cold blood and the news focuses largely on the Congresswoman as the majority of the story. Not to say "any" life is more important than any other, it just shows how slanted the media can be with stories of tragedies like this. Just my .02cents.

[IzzyEng4 427]

This is what happens when political rhetoric goes afoul and people tend to be lead by the old "Pied Piper" There are so many unstable people out that that take rhetorical words literally and take actual action. Rep. Gifford and Judge Roll and the innocent by-standers did not deserve this. Any rational thinking American would know not to go this far despite what animosities or heated differing opinions politicians, and also the way the media portrays them, may say. But Public officials need to be held to that same standard that has been in place since the founding of this nation and watch what they say. We do not need the 1960s political era again. I wasn't around yet, but I do not want to go through what so many here (and my parents) have seen. We are better than this!!!

But then again as a rational thinking American, I think the guillotine should be brought back as a death penalty option!! Seriously, I hope they find the perp competent and be brought up on treason charges!!!!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

I feel like raging a bit. Today down here in Dania, there was a standoff with a disturbed dude. The cops had some good equipment there. All kinds of machinery adapted to/created for urban warfare. Sad reality, but then again parts of Dania........anyway

Now I've got a question...how does a smirking Uncle Fester lookalike AT 22 YRS OLD not get taken out in his little backyard bunker while he's huffing latex, before it gets to the point that he does this?

Edit: I'm not blaming LE.

Edited January 14, 2011 by efdcapt115