Day 53: Is it Exploitation if it's True? There's a Lesson in Tucson.

"If a Detroit Muslim put a map on the web w/crosshairs on 20 pols, then 1 of them got shot, where would he b sitting right now? Just asking." These words were the tweet of Michael Moore upon hearing about the shooting of Congressional representative Gabrielle Giffords and the others in Tucson. Many, many others have also taken this opportunity to point to the increased vitriol in the political debate on the right. Over the course of the last few days many Facebook friends and media pundits, all of whom are on the right, have stated that it is in poor taste to exploit the tragedy in Tucson to promote a political agenda. The agenda in this case being to bash the Tea Party and ultra-conservatives like Sarah Palin.


I cannot argue the exploitation factor. It would be no better than those horrifically evil Westboro church people exploiting grief to further their own cause, if in fact the ultra right are being unfairly blamed for increased violence in the name of politics and religion. I'm just not sure that is actually what is happening here. How many politicians and pundits on the left have called for the deaths (figuratively or literally) of their opponents? These violent metaphors and graphic images employed by the right are not to blame for the actions of a stranger, but they can and quite possibly have, incited violent acts. Just as rock or rap lyrics do not cause a person to lose grip with reality and commit violence, it may offer a impetus for an already disturbed individual or add fuel to a collective fire. 


Personally, I know I've said things to the effect that I'd like to see someone take out the knee of Tom Brady, or how I wouldn't be sad if the backstabbing bitch that was my friend should accidentally hit the bumper of my car when I'm driving 80 mph. The main difference aside from the fact that I am obviously just venting, is that I am not a public figure, there are not hundreds of thousands of people reading my words and taking them to heart. I am not a inspirational figure seeking to hold public office, be a mentor, or to lead. (Though I absolutely should be all of those things.)


Yes, I'm a lefty and no, I'm not religious. Even so, I really do believe that should a member of my political party say and do things with such violent overtones I would have to speak out against it. I'm not blind to the fact that people are people and not party "agendas." Just because someone is on the right does not mean I am going to dislike or even disagree with him or her and the opposite is true as well. The fact here, is that over the last couple of years the political debate has turned to increasingly violent imagery. Crosshairs, target, sights, rise up, revolution and who knows how many other words and terms are leaking into the rhetoric at an alarming rate. It is almost normal now to talk of "killing" the opposition and their proposed legislation. Crosshairs, really? We think that's okay? Mama grizzly better watch out because I'm pretty sure that "sight" has been turned back on her and her rumored 2012 Presidential campaign. 


Hopefully, if nothing else, the one good thing that will come from this will be a downgrading of the rhetoric and vitriolic debate surrounding the political process and its candidates. There is no respect anymore for leadership. The American people used to be able to disagree with both each other and with the leadership without it becoming instantly hateful or violent. We used to respect the Presidency above all and then it just became a mockery -- though one might argue that Clinton's White House antics and Bush's . . . well, ineffectual leadership, moronic comments, and general buffoonery are most directly to blame for the current lack of respect for that office. What happened to gracefully disagreeing? Does every debate have to turn into a UFC cage fight? Are there no rules, no common respect and decency? 


I don't want to use the death of a 9 year-old little girl or critical injury of a congresswoman to further my own political beliefs, but I also do not want to ignore this opportunity. Whatever side you are on, please understand that this is not a call to arms for the Left against the Right. It is a warning to both sides to stand down and to remember we are debating policy. Everyone gets a vote, everyone gets the right to live. Killing abortion doctors will not stop abortion. Killing politicians will not keep gun laws so lax. Killing anyone will not further a political agenda, but it just might kill the process itself and after two hundred plus years of fighting for democracy, that would be a shame.