rssPoll: Most Americans don’t blame ‘heated rhetoric’ for Tucson shooting
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 12:19 pm
- 6 Comments
CBS released a poll Tuesday revealing that six in ten Americans polled don’t blame the “country’s heated political rhetoric” for the Tucson shootings over the weekend. More from CBS:
Overall, 57 percent of respondents said the harsh political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who felt it did. Republicans were more likely to feel the two were unrelated – 69 percent said rhetoric was not to blame; 19 percent said it played a part. Democrats were more split on the issue – 49 percent saw no connection; 42 percent said there was.
There’s no evidence that Jared Lee Loughner was influenced by “heated political rhetoric” — at this point, his political views expressed in available materials are incoherent, consisting mainly of a fixated, generalized anger at “the government.” As Dr. Bob Dolgoff, medical director of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s mental health division, told the San Francisco Chronicle, ”I doubt people who say this is about politics have a good understanding of mental illness.” He added, “It could be conspiracy theories or men from outer space. The important thing here is, why wasn’t he in treatment?”
The absence of evidence hasn’t stopped calls — however virtuous — to tamp down the often incendiary language used in political debate. Pundits and politicians have been quick to ascribe blame to “heated political rhetoric” since the shooting Saturday, but only a significant minority of people agree.
6 Comments
Comment posted January 11, 2011 @ 7:28 pm
I denounce violence, regardless of ideological motivation.
I denounce anyone, from the Left, the Right or middle, who believes physical violence is the answer to whatever they feel is wrong with our country.
I denounce those who wish to tear down our system and rebuild it in their own image, whatever that image may be.
I denounce those from the Left, the Right or middle, who call for riots and violence as an opportunity to bring down and reconstruct our system.
I denounce violent threats and calls for the destruction of our system – regardless of their underlying ideology – whether they come from the Hutaree Militia or Frances Fox Piven.
I hold those responsible for the violence, responsible for the violence. I denounce those who attempt to blame political opponents for the acts of madmen.
I denounce those from the Left, the Right or middle that sees violence as a viable alternative to our long established system of change made within the constraints of our constitutional Republic.
I will stand with anyone willing to sign that pledge. Today I make a personal choice. I urge leaders of both sides and all walks of life to join me as all Americans joined hands on 9.12.2001.
Comment posted January 11, 2011 @ 7:28 pm
I denounce violence, regardless of ideological motivation.
I denounce anyone, from the Left, the Right or middle, who believes physical violence is the answer to whatever they feel is wrong with our country.
I denounce those who wish to tear down our system and rebuild it in their own image, whatever that image may be.
I denounce those from the Left, the Right or middle, who call for riots and violence as an opportunity to bring down and reconstruct our system.
I denounce violent threats and calls for the destruction of our system – regardless of their underlying ideology – whether they come from the Hutaree Militia or Frances Fox Piven.
I hold those responsible for the violence, responsible for the violence. I denounce those who attempt to blame political opponents for the acts of madmen.
I denounce those from the Left, the Right or middle that sees violence as a viable alternative to our long established system of change made within the constraints of our constitutional Republic.
I will stand with anyone willing to sign that pledge. Today I make a personal choice. I urge leaders of both sides and all walks of life to join me as all Americans joined hands on 9.12.2001.
Comment posted January 11, 2011 @ 8:06 pm
I don’t think the country has been this divided since the Civil War. I think the inexcusably violent and vitriolic political rhetoric as espoused by the right wing media propaganda machine is disgraceful. Take it down a notch folks.
Comment posted January 12, 2011 @ 1:18 am
Great – could you carve that in granite and carry it down a mountain and proclaim to all – just so we know what -YOU- K.P. of PTPP denounce. That way we’d have something to follow for the next few millennium.
Comment posted January 12, 2011 @ 1:21 am
Carve this on there for me:
I denounce the averaging all all deeds. Those who pretend that these evils were fomented equally on both sides. I denounce the mediocrity of ‘centrist’ commitment.
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