US: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords shot in Arizona

Horribly sad. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12143774

She won her third re-election to Congress last year, in a race against a Tea Party candidate.  She was also one of 20 House Democrats on a 'target map' published by Sarah Palin, using images of gun sights - over representatives who backed Obama's health care reforms.

The internet is now buzzing with what effect, if any, Palin's imagery has had on inciting this act of violence.  Maybe Palin's 'star' will now be tanking?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8248399/Gabrielle-Giffords-father-The-whole-Tea-Party-were-her-enemies.html

I just heard about it; it's both terrible and terrifying. 

Apparently there may be multiple deaths, possibly a young child...gut wrenching stuff.
 

The Palin 'target map' is just sick.  What a sad day when people resort to violence instead of words.  My thoughts are with all the victims and their families. 

All I can say is that this is sickening. Absolutely sickening...my thoughts & prayers out to the injured & the families of those that have lost loved ones and that justice will run it's due course.

I just looked up this target map (I've been a bit out of it where US politics is concerned).  Sarah Palin is absolutely whacked out of her mind--how did she ever think she could use that kind of imagery and that it would be OK?  Surely it insights violence and shouldn't even be legal?!   

I need to watch more news. I never heard of this target map (thanks Andee) but watching this on BBC is just crazy! My thoughts go out to all affected as it got me all teary eyed that people can do this and think it is ok.

6 people dead, including a long-serving federal judge, a 9 year old little girl, and one of Giffords' political aides. 

Latest on the Beeb:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12145076

The shooter appears to be mentally ill - he's got a really weird pre-shooting video out there on Youtube.  They are looking for an accomplice - someone who may have driven him to the scene.

A hero, Daniel Hernandez, in the midst of this tragedy.  Only 20 years old & an intern for Giffords.

This whole thing is gut-wrenching.  Reading about how that little girl went there because she was interested in politics and wanted to learn more since she was just elected to her elementary school student council broke my heart, and I'll admit, I cried like a baby. 

One of the reasons I hate this country is because of the extremism- there is very little rational, considerate or tolerant debate. The media just spreads the violent, bigotry crap with no remorse. Politicians arent even held accountable for what they say, let alone what they do. This kind of violence is not just tolerated but accepted. Im sure it will just turn into a big finger pointing game.

My husband is always shaking his head about this kind of thing- that there is no way a politician could express such blatant violent personal opinions and still be in office in the UK. Here its a race to see who can be the most radical. And the filth that spreads like wildfire- things like the 'Ground Zero Mosque' and the 'Government Takeover' and that the president is a 'closeted islamic terrorist'. This stuff spreads and spreads.
Like senator Lynn Jenkins who made comments about finding the 'great white hope' with no understanding of its racist context, and told a 24 year old waitress and her uninsured 2 year old who asked why she was opposing health care reform to 'go be a grown up'. Palin defending her daughter callling other kids at school 'faggot'... and then they 'wonder' why younger adults are so desensitized to violence when they are subjected to bullying and abuse from a very early age.


The shooter is only 22 years old...If this guy really has such bad mental issues- why was he allowed to legally buy a gun? Why didnt he have professional help? One article even blamed marijuana- Im sorry but the pot heads I know dont go murder innocent people outside of a grocery store- they just go buy sweets and crisps.


Its horrid. I just dont get it... shooting a 9 year old girl? One of the men killed was shot in the head trying to protect his wife (who had been injured but will survive).
 

This whole situation makes me sick! And Sarah Palin makes me sick! If she ever becomes President, I will turn in my US Passport.

I saw on the news tonight that the little girl who died was in a book Faces of Hope: Babies Born on 9/11. She had also just been elected to the student council.
So freaking sad...

To add someone posted this - Oh man I think lots of people NEED help!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/09/westboro-baptist-church-arizona_n_806319.html
Westboro Baptist Church, the Topeka church known for its inflammatory anti-gay protests, plans to picket the funerals of the six people gunned down in Arizona on Saturday. In a flier posted on its web site, the controversial church writes, "THANK GOD FOR THE SHOOTER -- 6 DEAD!"

The shooter is only 22 years old...If this guy really has such bad mental issues- why was he allowed to legally buy a gun? Why didnt he have professional help?

Unless he'd actually been under a civil commitment at some point for psych issues, then even if he had privately sought counseling of some sort, I don't think that it would show up in a background check.  There's just no way, under the current system, to screen for people who are merely disturbed.  It pretty much only catches folks who've spent time in a rubber room. 

And as for the vaguely eluded to 'troubled past,' unless he was a convicted felon, again, I don't think there are grounds under current laws to deny a permit to someone who's only had misdemeanors.

This is absolutely horrifying