Like many Americans, I am disturbed by the shooting that took place recently in Tuscon, AZ. To me, it is a case of a young man filled with hate and confusion. As the facts are revealed in the situation, I am seeing more and more that this man decided to do what he has been instructed to do.
The politicians in the Arizona area have been using hate speech for a few years now to motivated people into taking a stance against anything the the current Obama Administration works to do. The obvious issue is the Health Care Law. Pharmaceutical and insurance companies have spent untold amounts of money to kill this law. I find it ironic that this act of violence in Arizona comes at the exact moment that the new Republican controlled House of Representatives were set to vote on a repeal of the Health Care law. The Republicans know that this repeal is purely symbolic and will have no effect, but yet, they are willing to waste money and time to do this. If the law was repealed, many, many people would not get health care and become very sick or worse, lose their life. It seems this kid in Arizona did in a tangible way what a repeal would have done anyway.
What happened in Tuscon is horrendous. The taking of a life by another person or group is sickening to me. But I cannot say I am "shocked" over this incident as so many American politicians and media outlets have said. Just what do we expect to happen when we incite hate in people? Just what do we expect when any lunatic in the States can get a gun?
This horribly pathetic situation in Arizona should not come as a surprise. To think so is either ignorant or hypocritical.
Hi Joel
ReplyDeleteApologies for putting this in the comment box, but I couldn't figure out how to contact you directly otherwise - so here goes:
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