I Am Stunned by the Shooting of Rep. Giffords
by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)My tears are flowing, and I am stunned and angered that Gabby Giffords was savagely gunned down while performing her congressional duties. I am praying for Gabby, and my thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathy go out to her family, as well as the families of each of the victims.
Gabby Giffords governed with integrity and wisdom. We came to Congress together and I had the privilege of knowing her as a friend and colleague.
It is my hope and expectation that the coward who carried out this horrific act of violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I extend my hand of friendship to her family and staff and will keep them in my prayers.
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190 Comments
D or R, anyone with an ounce of humanity, should be DISGUSTED by what's happened today.
Thank you Representative Bachmann. We all share your sense of outrage.
Well put Congresswoman. You have expressed exactly how many of us are feeling right now.
Namaste!
Thank you Rep. Bachmann…Prayers are up Giffords and all other victims.
The malignant thumbs-downer who just passed through, does not share your sense of outrage though.
Seriously, what is wrong with these people?
They are very sick.
I've noticed them all over the place. It must be excruciating to suffer from that kind of mindlessness.
Classy woman. Integrity and honor exudes from this woman.
Here is the shooters youtube video………….psychopath.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Classitup10#p/a/u/1/n...
Unfortunately, a few of the usual suspects are already playing pretend elsewhere on the Bigs.
Oh, I realize they're a regular nuisance, much like mosquitoes. But over an incident like THIS?
The most polite word I can come up with, is "scum."
Well said, Rep. Bachmann.
Today is a sad day in America, For Obama got what he wanted some kind of a us against them. Class warfare or race. Take your pick. Oh wait maybe he can turn the Hate a couple of notches higher…
Anyone ASSUMING anything deserves the pie in their face that is coming to them!
ANYONE casting aspersions as to the shooter's motives are jumping the shark and they will suffer their own stupidity!!!!
Strange, the vocal neocons here don't mind slaughtering people overseas when they disagree with their politics.
Rep. Bachmann, you are not alone in being stunned, I am almost speechless.
The guy that did this sounds like a real crackpot.
They're chicken. If they truely have it in them to thumb down they oughta have their opinions heard! They're not our trolls, at least they fight. These chickens don't rate. Gremlins maybe.
Liberalism is a mental illness !!!!
Amen Congresswoman.
My heart and prayers go out to the victims and their families.
You're an idiot political opportunist, STFU!
"ASSUMING" that you know what the motive was behind this crime is extremely inappropriate and wholly uncalled for!
Thinking you have something to gain politically from this CRIME is a gross violation of the Terms of Use policy and civil discourse!
SHAME ON YOU!
Why can't you just sympathize with the victims instead of seeing an opportunity to attack?
Never let a good crisis go to waste right?
God bless those poor victims. While they may get justice, they may never get peace.
You'll find Gavreille had class too. It's too bad we didn't hear more about her. She didn't fit the progressive mold I guess and being democrat, we didn't hear about her on these sites… http://giffords.house.gov/
Pray that she gets in the congress again. She might be a better friend to conservatives than some of rino representatives.
Did you hear the accused guy's YouTube video transcript read on Fox News? The guy sounds like a nut.
We outnumber them. Stick together. Stand strong brothers and sisters.
The time is nearly upon us. Stay with love and not hate.
Very sad, I am praying for Representative Giffords, her family and for all those hurt or killed.
Very interesting times we live in. Very sad.
THumbs up to that!
How predictable… never waste a crisis… Typical POS
You know what? Even your warped sense of self-righteousness, shouldn't be enough to inoculate you from feeling SHAME at making statements like that, at times like this.
"The guy that did this sounds like a real crackpot."
From what he posted to various websites, he seems to just be a very disturbed individual. Obsessed with "currency" and "illiteracy." Favorite books from his youtube page, "I had favorite books: Animal Farm, Brave New World, The Wizard Of OZ, Aesop Fables, The Odyssey, Alice Adventures Into Wonderland, Fahrenheit 451, Peter Pan, To Kill A Mockingbird, We The Living, Phantom Toll Booth, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Pulp,Through The Looking Glass, The Communist Manifesto, Siddhartha, The Old Man And The Sea, Gulliver's Travels, Mein Kampf, The Republic, and Meno." Just plain deranged.
Really?? REALLY??? Just go away.
Theres one in every crowd, sadly it only takes one to do some horrible deed like this.
I agree as long as we substitute a cinder block for the pie. Gee, when will I see, read, or hear the liberal speculation, tonight or tomorrow?
You are a pig.
Yes, I heard it. I didn't hear any real politics in it (unless someone would conclude that his ramblings about currency were political and not just insane ramblings).
Just incoherent ramblings about currency, dreaming, illiteracy and grammar.
I read the article on yahoo and a few of the comments there it saddens me that so many on both sidesare spewing hate and blaming the other side. we should be AMERICANS first this is a tragedy regardless of political party. it was an act of pure hatred and as AMERICANS we should treat this as what it is an act of hate carried out by someone who cant control their own hatred only be controled by it
People need to keep their heads and their tongues until the FACTS come out, nobody has the right to ASSUME anything.
Very disturbed young man.
Out to lunch.
Actually, shouldn't this situation wake people up. All this MOCK concern over violence but that is NOTHING compared to the violence we visit on others on a DAILY basis. Here, let me make you change your tune and CHEER for this story. "Congresswoman killed by a drone today." "Ah," the little trigger would go off in your head, "she must have been guilty of something…. She deserved it. Now, where's the Sports page…."
whats it like going thru life with a seared conscience and no brain
WTH are you smoking dude??? Go back to DailySpecialKos and drone on about your delusions – we don't do that here.
Absolutely. Totally out to lunch.
Asinine assumptions about my feelings toward our current foreign policy aside, there is NO excuse for your callus behavior!
Holy cow… this guy was REALLY certifiable! His saying over and over "let the bodies hit the floor" is sooo creepy!
Call them what you want. I see through most people. Why do you feel compelled to have sympathy in this case – I'm sure many died yesterday you weren't even aware of. Is this woman more deserving of sympathy than them? Let me really blow the minds of the neocons here – what about the SOLDIERS who have died recently? It is all tragic. But the public histrionics that surround situations like this are driven by less than noble motives. When someone in the media dies and the media is abuzz about it – people want to be part of the story. And they do that by exaggerated claims of sympathy. But most of you would drive by someone who died on the side of the road. Hey, no media. They were nobodies.
God Bless all the victims and their families and help them with these unspeakable tragic events…
From viewing the suspected shooters YouTube page, it's obvious this guy was deeply disturbed. May God, in whom he claimed not to believe, have mercy on his soul…
It looks like the shooter is schizophrenic. There is a small collection of YouTube videos, under the name "Classitup10" apparently created by him.
It appears, from the content of the video, that he caused a disturbance at a community college, and was removed by police. It also appears he believes that knowledge is free, and so having to pay for an education is unconstitutional.
Facts ?
you will never get the real facts from anyone holding office, they will spin this as they choose.
Odd we should not assume while the negro, dems and others are screaming it was a white guy ( often) and that it was Palin or Beck's fault but how about this news piece as who the real target was ?
Appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, Federal Judge John McCarthy Roll was shot and killed today when an assailant opened fire in a Safeway parking lot in Ariz., where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. was meeting with constituents.
Just two years ago, he was targeted with death threats —
and given a security detail — after ruling that a group of illegal immigrants could go forward with a multi-million dollar civil rights lawsuit against a state rancher
The Arizona Republic reported in July 2009 that Roll once logged more than 200 callers in one afternoon after the ruling that yielded death threats against the judge and his family.
Thank you.
Kinda like YOU, droning on-and-on, about how much more sympathetic YOU are, while people's bodies are still warm? It's that last part that should REALLY bother you, were you not a classless sociopath, that is…….
Are you SERIOUSLY comparing action in a WAR ZONE to this crazy shooting of unarmed and innocent people by a crazy guy??
Yes, people die every day, but they aren't elected officials of our government. Get a grip man, and get off this site with your pathetic attitude.
INTERESTING: The shooter's facebook page lists as one of his favorite books The Communist Manifesto. (How much further LEFT can you get?)
IRONIC: The same healthcare system that giffords wants to destroy with obozocare will likely save her life.
so true, he was probably a patsy for the demonrats. The demonrats probably knew that they could use a guy that was unstable to use as their patsy.
You SICK SOB! You claim that WE are the ones that are crying crocodile tears, yet you can't drop your incessant HATEFUL rhetoric for one fricking day. Look in the mirror. There is your target. Eliminate it, with prejudice.
Two thoughts:
Our prayers go out to all the victims of this senseless act.
Insanity is no respecter of political or religious ideology.
Better yet he should check into the nearest mental health facility…
MSNBC is already blaming Sarah Palin, saying her language of "targeting" Democrats for defeat was the catalyst. Are there any conservatives out there with any guts to refute these lowlife scum?
Jared Loughner was “Left-Wing Radical Conspiracy-theorist Pot-Head” according to his former classmate and band partner Caitie Parker in her tweets.
I watched some of his You Tube videos, this guy was a total nut. You can't link him to anyone right or left that I can see. Unfortunately in a free country like ours, kooks like this will eventually act out sometimes. Its unconscionable that there are those who want to link this to the Tea Party, Sara Palin, Glenn Beck or anyone. But that's what seems to be happening. Americans need to stand together at ties like these and not use things like this for political gain! Shame on them!!
This is a tragidy, I am praying for the families of all involved. Romans 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."
Just a resounding AMEN. May God bless all afflicted by this outrage.
My sincerest condolences to all the families immediately affected by this national tragedy. The insanity of it all is devastating both emotionally and on a broader scale. I pray and hope Rep. Gifford will recover and perform her duties.
And I of course respect Rep. Bachmann for this reflective piece.
However, I would like to point out: "Gabby Giffords governed with integrity and wisdom."
I would like to remind all representatives of Congress that they are legislators, not executives. They write and vote on laws, but they do not execute them. Going to congress with intent to govern is precisely the attitude that has plunged our country into turmoil and exacerbated the insanity.
Obviously this man acted I believe independently of politics and just consumed by his own ill mental-health I did feel it important enough to remind us all what the stakes are for those who perform in the sanctity of office and to remind us all what their duties actually are.
Sarah Palin also had a similar comment: http://i.imgur.com/qWZV4.jpg
Found a group of tweets from someone who knew him well. Remember the name, She has already been contacted my the MSM.
for what its worth:
Here are some tweets from someone who allegedly knew the shooter.
Caitie Parker @catieparker
Saying Jared Laughner was the gunman. Really hoping that’s not the same guy I went to HS with, really good friend. Freaking out right now!!!
Catie Parker
Official I went to high school & college, & was in a band w/ the gunman. I can’t even fathom this right now.
Catie Parker
He was a poticial radical & met Giffords once before on ’07, asked her a question & he told me she was “stupid & unintelligent”
Catie Parker
He was a pot head & into rock like Hendrix, The DOors, Anti-Flag. I haven’t seen him in person since ’07 in a sign language class
Catie Parker
As I knew him he was left wing, quite liberal. & oddly obsessed with the 2012 prophecy.
Catie Parker
he had a lot of friends until he got alcohol poisoning in ’06, & dropped out of school. Mainly loner very philosophical.
Catie Parker
more left. I haven’t seen him since ’07 though. He became very reclusive.
Catie Parker
it’s loughner just checked my year book.
Can anyone back this up? I am not on Twitter, so I can't. Again, at the top, this is someone ALLEGEDLY known to the shooter.
Anyone who uses this incident to cast blame against
their perceived ideological opponents are as guilty as
if they pulled the trigger themselves.
No. Sorry. Wrong. Going out and killing 6 people and making a comment about it are not the same thing.
Interesting. But still, I don't blame the Left for what he did. He was nuts.
Comment similar to what?
Its not a comment at all—Its a reminder as to who may be confused about "party" affiliations and who may actually vote with a conscience!
I've read those tweets. If anything, he was a raving left-wing nutjob. At least, that's how he portrayed himself to his (former) friends.
I'm sure the major news outlets will brush this information aside. They're still busily blaming the tea party, Sarah Palin and anyone who opposes Obamacare.
A couple of things really caught my attention in the shooter's rant. The first was "conscience dreaming" and his study in college. I'm still exploring that. The second was "the second Constitution". Initial research has unearthed the following:
"We should not forget that the Constitution we have today is the second United States constitution. The first, the Articles of Confederation, was drafted just a year after the Declaration of Independence, and it is even sparer with references to religion than the constitution drafted at Philadelphia in 1787. The closest it comes is in the attestation clause, which begins:
And whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said articles of confederation and perpetual union.
This is boilerplate, not theonomy, but it was written and approved by the same people who had made clear in 1776 that they considered government a divine institution. The absence of evidence need not be evidence of absence." http://www.johnreilly.info/08Jan04.htm (about 3 sections down on his page).
This guy is pretty loony; hope he don't get off on it.
Jesus Christ, you're an a**wipe.
This is really bad http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/01/08/dr-manny...
I was hoping that it may have been a glance or a graze but with actual penetration…
She'll never be the same again
My prayers with her and her husband
My prayers with all those affected by this tragedy
I'm with you. The death of a 9 year old child who was just standing there minding his/her own business and lost their life today, for me, is the greatest tragedy of all. I can only imagine what the parents are feeling.
I hope no Black Panthers or Islamic terrorists are behind this because AG Holder will have to drop charges.
dude
The 9-year-old is an unimaginable tragedy, as is every other loss of life here (I have a daughter I ran upstairs to hug as soon as I read about the kid)
This, however, seems to be the attempted murder of a political functionary of a US congresswoman. If we look at this in the context of US governance, it is a huge blow to our country.
I lived in Mexico for a while and trust me, you don't want to live in a country where politicians get killed by people that disagree with them. It makes for very aggressive criminals, very corrupt politicians and ultimately a country where you have no one to turn to.
I heard that the suspect shouted something before he shot
Let's pray it wasn't something along the lines of "allah uahkbar" or the guy will be a tenured English Lit. prof with Ayers at Illinois Chicago before the news cycle is over
Agreed. When I heard his ramblings "schizophrenic" was the first thing that came to mind. He even speaks of having a love of something called "conscious dreaming". From what I've read of schizophrenics this is how alot of them describe their reality; it's like a waking dream.
I'll tell you this much, regardless of all the threats of retribution by the state I wouldn't be surprised if this guy wound up in an asylum pumped full of thorazine. I understand he had also been committed once before.
He also lists We the Living by Ayn Rand, Farenheit 451, Animal Farm, and Brave New World.
Are you with the RNC "GoingBeck"? You posted this exact same comment at the Blaze. Keep spreading your talking point all over the net.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/youtube-introduct...
They say the guy had a facebook page but that it had been taken down right away. I wonder what was on that.
Perhaps his classmates don't understand that the concept of putting our economy back on the gold standard comes from the right? But hey, I always look to high school students when trying to determine where someone falls on the political spectrum.
What it sounds like is that he had a host of anti-government ideas some of which lean left and some of which lean right which essentially makes him a libertarian. I say that in gest. What he was, was a once committed, paranoid schizophrenic and I doubt he will ever see prison because of it.
Yes he was nuts, and no, I don't blame the left for this. But there's NO WAY they can call him a TeaPartier.
My prayers are for you…Rep Giffords!
I sincerely wish this would have never taken place
… any act of violence against another should never get to this point!
However, I sincerely hope that this was just a random incident
… not targeted against her specifically.
If it was based on politics,
there is absolutely…absolutely…no excuse and/or reason
to bring someone to do such a thing
… to express their viewpoint!
We can have disagreements and agree to disagree
…and do all we can to make things right
…but shooting someone is not right
…period!
Again…we pray for the life of this young woman!
Why don't you google it? There are copies of it all over the net.
They refute and repudiate themselves with their actions. We're on the higher ground and have no need to wallow in the mud and manure with them. The American people see what's going on and are intelligent enough to make the correct conclusion.
Stockholm syndrome
The parents refuse to see California as a guilty party
They probably blame themselves
May they find peace
That's why they have no ratings.
If Beck and O'Reilly and Hannity and Rush are on top of this, then CNN, MSNBC, and the networks are irrelevant players.
Well her Sarahpac map with Congressman Gifford in the crosshairs isnt looking too good right now, although I definitely don't see any association between what happened today and Governor Palin so relax. This type of thing will go on now for the next few weeks with one side targeting the other trying to determnine whose ideology inspired him. What it sounds like to me is he had a host of anti-goverment ideas some of which were right wing and some of which were left wing. What he is, is a sick, disturbed, and I'm guessing from what Ive read of his ramblings, paranoid schizophrenic. Who gives a crap what his politics were.
All normal citizens feel the same way Congresswoman Bachman. I looked at the Tucson judicial website and saw that the shooter had been arrested on a minor drug offense back in 2007, he was released with a 20.00 fine.
"I say that in gest."
It's delicious!
"Unfortunately in a free country like ours, kooks like this will eventually act out sometimes."
They may eventually act out in non-free countries, too. They may even become leaders of terrorist groups.
I know the point you're trying to make. A murder is a murder. The congresswoman is no more important than Joe Schmoe. But the Giffords story is of more national interest for obvious reasons.
"Going out and killing 6 people and making a comment about it are not the same thing. "
ITA.
"You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all "part of the plan." But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds! "
*yawn*
Yeah yeah
We all saw Batman
You're really deep and dark and brooding
We're all so impressed
I'll bet you totally had a moment with that cute emo waitress at starbucks this morning when you sent your decaf, half-fat soy bean latte back for the 3rd time
Go back to playing with your Obama doll, loser ^_^
"Obama akbar!"
This site seems to have compiled most of his information: http://hillbuzz.org/2011/01/08/my-congresswoman-v...
Well, in reality though we're talking about hs kids who haven't seen him in four years and probably have no idea what a left or right wing positon actually is. From what his youtube vids said he believed we needed to be back on the gold standard which is a very conservative position, that controlling language is a form of mind control(you could interpret that as a right wing fear), and he thought there were too many non-english speakers in AZ. Hmmmmm? be that as it may though, who cares. What he really sounds like is a paranoid schizophrenic since most of his ramblings are totally incoherent and talks about conscious dreaming or living in a dream state. That's what schizophrenics say their reality is like.
Nobody panics when things go "according to plan." Even if the plan is horrifying!
One of the more intelligent things I've seen people say here. Perhaps you borrowed that from someone else because the rest isn't so great. There are theories of risk and we do weigh things differently. Two general criteria are how likely something will happen and another how bad the outcome would be.
Yes, they can – they're already doing it. Go to the Amazon Discussions under "politics" there are about a handful of threads already started blaming it on the Right, including Palin, Beck, Angle, Rush, etc.
We may not hear it from the news, but I'm waiting to hear it from Olbermann, Maddow, Schultz and the like. Their drones are already on it. It's scary and makes me very angry, which is not a good thing.
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