I am heartbroken over the death of Christina Taylor Green, for her family, and for the friends and loved ones who are grieving tonight: my heart bleeds for Gabrielle Gifford and for the people who lost a family member or a dear friend because of this insane killing.
And I'm furious at people like Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Tom Tancredo, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Michelle Bachman...everyone whose dangerous rhetoric and hate has placed the children of our nation in harms way; arrogant racists and homophobes who have made our country's citizens vulnerable to the murderous actions of a madman.
Today I listened to Sheriff Dupnik's press conference and I was thankful he had the courage to express outrage at the people who encouraged the actions of this unbalanced man, to call them out for promoting hate; I admired him for pointing out Arizona's role as ground zero for campaigns of racial intolerance, and for identifying the media's shadow participation in these tragic deaths by giving a platform to the Tea Party's hatemongers in order to make money (are you listening media?)
I listened to Republican Trent Franks spew his talking points, and I watched Jan Brewer feign sorrow at the loss of human life (the woman who has showed ice water in her veins while she watched people die because of medical services she has denied)... and I read Sarah Palin's CYA tweet and I wanted to throw up...I hope the newspapers in Alaska run a copy everyday of her map with rifle cross-hairs aimed at Gabrielle Gifford (and other Democrats) and I pray they will never let her forget that she got what she wanted.
I hope the evangelicals will finally realize they have harvested the seeds of hate they have sown. Maybe, now they will realize they are as much to blame for the climate of anger that has created this murderous rampage as anyone...it is time for them to end their campaigns of hate: hate is not a Christian value.
The Koch Brothers, Dick Armey, Rupert Murdoch, Jan Brewer...this slaughter is their legacy...even Clarence Thomas's wife has put her foot in this pool of blood.
I have lived through the deaths of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, and I know from those experiences, evil people never learn from the consequences of their hate; there will always be racists, homophobes, and pious murderers; they will never accept responsibility for the damage they have caused...that is why I felt it important to add my voice to those who are expressing outrage at this senseless act of violence.
It is time to act. Enough is enough. We must stop the dangerous, violent rhetoric. Please add your voice to those who are outing the identities of those who have promoted violence as a political solution. We must never let them forget the consequences of their actions.