In Blaming Sarah Palin, We Give Our Violent Culture a Pass

I'm not attacking any one here no more than talk show host's today go on rampage attacking every one and every thing their ego minds's conjure. I like the truth and I believe the truth is Limbough and Palin are two political goof's who neither one put's their mind into gear before they speak. Any thing talk show hosts, not leaving out the Media can conjure that is sensational reading, truth, or fiction, fill's bank account's. They aren't selling truth, nor moral's, they're selling sensational new's. and damn the effect it has on the general public. So lately, we're seeing some very ill effects the wrong new's has on the public in violent behavior and outright mayhem in scattered instances !...

excellent article, Matt. this takes a legitimate, logical approach to the influence of society on behavior and attitudes. the same people who want to silence limbaugh, palin, beck, etc., should also be screaming to end the violence from Hollywood's movies and rap music...

The U.S. Secret Service disagrees with your theory. Sarah Palin blamed by the US Secret Service over death threats against Barack Obama http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/sarah-palin/3405336/Sarah-Palin-blamed-by-the-US-Secret-Service-for-death-threats-against-Barack-Obama.html The attacks provoked a near lynch mob atmosphere at her rallies, with supporters yelling "terrorist" and "kill him" until the McCain campaign ordered her to tone down the rhetoric.

Too many have ratcheted up the vitriolic rhetoric lately and they ALL need to be reflecting on what part their actions may have in this event in order to prevent another. Everyone has a responsibility along with their right to free speech. We have our own who are too willing to "take up the cause" believing it gets them their ultimate reward or glorification same as a suicide bomber. There's plenty of room for free speech without inciting or encouraging violence.

If we're going to censor anyone, let's make sure we're consistent and censor everyone equally. If we're going to inhibit anyone's speech, let's make sure we're consistent and inhibit everyone's equally. If we are going to promote liberty, let's make sure we're consistent and promote it equally.

It's not about absolving the killer or censoring politicians; the author is creating a straw man argument. Palin's violent rhetoric is a manifestation of our violent culture. So when people call her out for inciting hateful acts, it's the same as putting our culture to task for its hateful and violent tendencies. No one's getting a pass. It's about understanding how culture influences killers, and how we may work to stop things like this from happening in the future.

The U.S. Secret Service disagrees with your theory.

Sarah Palin blamed by the US Secret Service over death threats against Barack Obama
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/sarah-palin/3405336/Sarah-Palin-blamed-by-the-US-Secret-Service-for-death-threats-against-Barack-Obama.html
The attacks provoked a near lynch mob atmosphere at her rallies, with supporters yelling "terrorist" and "kill him" until the McCain campaign ordered her to tone down the rhetoric.

It's refreshing to see the voice of reason here instead of blind political rhetoric. When I first saw the comments blaming Palin and politics, my immediate thought was that the problem is MUCH more closely linked to the everyday violence we are exposed to in the media. Kids in particular are bombarded with Hollywood stereotypes that glorify violence (think Rambo), and video games are rife with weapons.

Each one of us is a part of the culture and the culture represents us all. If our individual contibution to [politcal] culture is a violent one then we are actively contributing to the violence in our said culture. Conclusion: Sarah Palin is responsible in-part to what happened to Gabrielle Giffords!

Congratulations to Matt Lewis for his sensible analysis of this tragic incident. Violence has been in our DNA since day One. Should we do everything possible to control it? Of course. That's what civilized society's do. But to blame the actions of a nut job on a political thought is ludicrous.