About This Weekend's Shooting

What happened to Rep. Giffords is definitely a tragedy. Brought on by someone who is obviously a nut and a wacko. Thoughts and prayers go out to all who was affected by this incident.

And the shooting isn't even the saddest part about what happened this weekend. The slain bodies where not even cold yet when liberals on Twitter start accusing the Tea Parties and Sarah Palin in particular of being guilty of the shooting. Why? Anything to use as a slur against her and them. No matter how unconnected the events are.

Which brings to mind this quote by Glenn Reynolds [Thanks to Bob Belvedere for highlighting it]:

To be clear, if you’re using this event to criticize the "rhetoric" of Mrs. Palin or others with whom you disagree, then you’re either: (a) asserting a connection between the "rhetoric" and the shooting, which based on evidence to date would be what we call a vicious lie; or (b) you’re not, in which case you’re just seizing on a tragedy to try to score unrelated political points, which is contemptible. Which is it?[Emphasis mine]

This wasn't about ideology but about being crazy. What Jared Lee Loughner did is the work of one crazy person who has been fixated on Rep. Giffords since 2007.

Investigators found a letter from the congresswoman in a safe at the house where Loughner lived with his parents, thanking him for attending a similar 2007 event, according to court documents released Sunday.

"Also recovered in the safe was an envelope with handwriting on the envelope stating 'I planned ahead,' and 'my assassination' and the name 'Giffords,' along with what appears to be Loughner's signature," the affidavit states.

Never let the facts get in the way when you want to use a tragedy to score political points.