In the crossfire of violence

An attempt on the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., has left her in critical condition.  Twelve others were injured and six people, including a nine-year-old girl, were shot to death.

Witnessing the violent murder of a nine-year-old student council member as she met a member of the U.S. government is hardly a forgettable image. It is an image that has sadly become reality as the political climate in the U.S. continues to boil. Some commentators have connected the horrific violence in Tucson, Ariz., to the violent rhetoric that pervades the political discourse in our country. The Opinion staff has compiled a few snippets of recent political vitriol as well as a few notes on its consequences.

“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, and unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”
—Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik

“This may be free speech, but it’s not without consequences.”
—Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik

“When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action,”
—Gabrielle Giffords, talking about Sarah Palin’s crosshairs map last year

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“I tell people, ‘Don’t kill all the liberals.’ Leave enough so we can have two on every campus — living fossils — so we we’ll never forget what these people stood for.”
—Rush Limbaugh

“I say round liberals up and hang ’em high. When I hear someone’s in the civil rights business, I oil up my AR-25.”
—Michael Savage

“I’m thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I’m wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it ... No, I think I could.”
—Glenn Beck

“Don’t retreat! Instead — RELOAD!”
—Sarah Palin on her Facebook page where she depicted Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in rifle crosshairs

“Minnesotans should be ‘armed and dangerous.’”
—Michele Bachmnan, talking about opposition to cap and trade legislation

“Having a revolution every now and then is a good thing.”
—Michele Bachmann

“To the day I die I’m going to be a progressive hunter.”
— Glenn Beck. Weeks later, a man claiming to be inspired by Glenn Beck was arrested after shooting officers on the way to kill members of the TIDES Foundation and the ACLU.

“Violence is coming ... and the Left will blame it on me.”
—Glenn Beck on his radio program