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Democratic congresswoman shot at point-blank range in Arizona

January 8, 2011

SECOND UPDATE: Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy issued the following statement Saturday afternoon in response to the Arizona shootings:

“The attacks on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, members of her staff, and others are absolutely appalling. This event is horrific and acts of such violence cannot be tolerated in our society. Judy and I will be praying for Gabrielle, her family, her staff, those who were injured and their families.”

Meanwhile, Arizona authorities are searching for “a person of interest” who might have been at the shopping center with alleged shooter Jared Lee Loughner.

UPDATE: The shooter of  U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords has been identified as Jared Lee Loughner, 22, of Tucson.

Loughner was tackled by one of Giffords’ aides as he tried to flee the scene after the shooting.

Another one of Giffords’ aides is confirmed to be dead along with four others. The gunman shot 18 people.

A surgeon has been quoted as being “very optimistic” about Giffords’ chance for surviving.

ORIGINAL POST: Multiple media reports confirm that a Democratic congresswoman was shot in the head at point blank range Saturday morning while hosting a meet-the-public event in Tucson. [LA Times]

U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), 40, a three-term congresswoman, was airlifted to a local hospital shortly after the shooting at a Safeway market.

“She is currently in surgery. She’s alive,” University Medical Center spokeswoman Darci Slaten said. Slaten added that nine other shooting victims were being treated at the hospital.

Fox News reported that between 12 and 15 people were shot.

Giffords was hosting a “Congress on Your Corner” event — public gatherings to give her constituents a chance to talk directly with her — when attacked from about four feet  away, NPR said.

NPR initially reported that Giffords had died, but quickly retracted that information.

The report said the suspect tried to run away but was tackled by a bystander and was in police custody.

Giffords is married to astronaut Mark Kelly


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More shocking anti-democratic gun-violence promotion from from the radio personality that KVEC 920 AM infects our radio airwaves with:


http://i.huffpost.com/gen/237055/RUSHLIMBAUGH.jpg


As I understand it this advertisement is still in place, even after the shootings in Arizona.


How perfect, Sarah Palin provides the bulls-eye targets on politicians while Limbaugh provides the shooting tutorial. That’s what they consider political “cooperation”.


I feel very sorry for employees at KVEC who appreciate how sick and destructive the Rush Limbaugh show is, but must live each day knowing that they are contributing to perpetuating its terrible, nation-dividing, hate- and fear-mongering agenda.


If that KVEC insists on pushing a far-right extremist agenda each day, can’t they find a conservative radio personality who is not continually gross and offensive and who continues to use violent imagery and hate-filled rhetoric to attract listeners and advertisers? What kind of advertisers feel comfortable associating their products or services with this kind of stuff?


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Gosh. I’m trying to listen to Rush Limbaugh for a week. I’m sticking it out to give him the benefit of the doubt. I keep thinking he will say something somewhat reasonable. Had to turn it off today when he spoke of (I quote him) “the 9 year old girl who got snuffed out”.


He was making fun of president Obama for feeling bad about (Limbaugh’s words) “the 9 year old girl who got snuffed out”


Is this really his character? Cant he say “the 9 year old girl who tragically lost her life”


I feel bad for those who follow and buy into Limbaugh. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO BUY INTO THIS CRAP. I dont care if he is left wing, right wing, liberal-tea party. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR ANYBODY TO SPIN THINGS THE WAY HE DOES.


If your are a listener and believer of his….good luck.


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The link below is from ABC News, hardly a right wing news outfit. It completely makes the rants about Russ, Hannity, Palin, Beck, O’reilly and the tea movement being responsible for the sad event in Tucson meaningless. It is always best to get the facts first. Here is the link.


http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/jared-loughners-friend-says-suspect-did-not-watch-tv-disliked-the-news_b48040


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So, dhgscw, regardless of who is to “blame” for the Arizona shootings, you are basically promoting the continuation of hate and violence promoting rhetoric in our community. Why?


What is it about hate-filled rants and violence-promoting propaganda that makes you feel so compelled to spend time and effort defending it? What’s up with that?


Do you believe that divisive hate-radio programs like the ones broadcast daily on KVEC are making our community more healthy and happy? (And if so, please cite your evidence to support that.)


Could it be that you personally profit in some way, as does Rush Limbaugh and Dave Congalton, by promoting or defending hate and fear-mongering rhetoric on the public airwaves? If not, what positive benefits do you get from such things?


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Instead of ranting about talk radio and Sarah Palin some people might read some news stories about this sicko and how he slipped through LEO cracks repeatedly…


“Police Say They Visited Tucson Suspect’s Home Even Before “Rampage”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/us/12loughner.html


“Jared Loughner is a product of Sheriff Dupnik’s office”

http://thechollajumps.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/jared-loughner-is-a-product-of-sheriff-dupniks-office/


“Arizona shooting: Pima County Sheriff’s Department, college won’t release data on suspect”

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/01/12/20110112gabrielle-giffords-arizona-shooting-pima-county-wont-release-jared-loughner-records.html


“Officers stopped suspect on day of Ariz. shooting”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110112/ap_on_re_us/us_congresswoman_shot_146


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Can’t we do BOTH?


Personally, I think it is more worthwhile to use this incident to consider and denouce the community-rotting nature of nationally syndicated hate radio programs on our local airwaves AND the violence-tinged political campaign materials Palin injects into our community. Why give this stuff a “pass” simply because a murderer slipped past law enforcement officers?


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By the way, what in the world (other than promoting your personal right wing agenda) would make you conclude that ABC News is “hardly a right wing news outfit”? Just because ABC news is not a divisive, hate-spewing, extremist right wing fascist propaganda agency like Fox News, does not in any way prove that ABC is not sympathetic or a pawn for right wing agendas.


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dhgscw don’t confuse the right haters here with the reality that s**t happens. They are chomping at the bit to blame, accuse and inflame it as being everything conservative is evil and bad.


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BeenThere, you don’t have to make this a “rightwing vs. leftwing” fight. The sickness that is hate radio and the prevalence of violence-inspiring political campaigning goes beyond partisan politics.


Rather than using this to further divide our UNITED States, we should use this tragedy in Arizona as impetus for citizens of all political persuasions to denounce and/or stop sponsoring hate radio programs and the type of politics of animosity that Sarah Palin has built her political career upon.


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