Six years after we were married, a mentally unstable man murdered my wife.
Because of my job, I was two hundred miles away from home when the telephone call came through informing me that Kay had been killed. I dropped everything and rushed home to comfort our daughter, a beautiful, vibrant four-year-old child who was - and to this day - is the spitting image of her mother.
I had to postpone my own grieving process to help her with her grief; she went into hysterics when she heard the news about her mother (it took three days to calm her down). Telling her that her mother would never be coming home again was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
Murder is unlike any other type of death. It is immeasurably cruel and destructive, and it impacts many people. My wife’s death caused my child and I to suffer more than I ever thought was humanly possible.
A humane and compassionate person will understand how much pain is inflicted on the victim’s family, and will eagerly lend his/her support and compassion. When my wife died, many people reached out to us to offer their support, and I will forever be grateful for their compassion.
In a perfect world, there should have been nothing else to add to our pain, but that wasn’t what happened. Within days, rumors began circulating in our small community that my wife had committed suicide (even though the press covered the murder extensively). I was told about the rumor by the town’s gossip-monger, who was more interested in drilling me for sensational details of Kay’s death than putting the rumors to rest and allowing me the courtesy to grieve in private. I soon learned that an elderly woman (a member of our church, a person I didn’t even know) had started the rumor.
And then there was the murder trial: it is almost unbearable to have to relive every excruciating detail of your loved one’s death.
I have shared this painful part of my past because I understand what is happening to the families of the injured and killed in Arizona this week. Their grief is unbearable, and their loss is immeasurable.
Unfortunately, their pain may not be over. They will face obstacles that no decent person can imagine.
And then there is the Republican spin machine. The people, who created the toxic environment that made it conducive for this type of tragedy to occur, are making a concerted effort – with the help of their cronies in the media - to cover up or shift blame for their actions. They fear no condemnation, and they fear no reprisals. They will destroy anyone who has the courage to speak up - Clarence Dupnik is already under attack.
Paul Krugmen, in his recent blog article ‘Climate of Hate’ asked:
So will the Arizona massacre make our discourse less toxic? It’s really up to G.O.P. leaders. Will they accept the reality of what’s happening to America, and take a stand against eliminationist rhetoric? Or will they try to dismiss the massacre as the mere act of a deranged individual, and go on as before?
I think Rush Limbaugh has answered that question:
NOTE: I tried to create a link, but wasn't successful. There is an article up at the Huffington Post that explains his stance (Rush Bails Water in Wake of Arizona Shooting).
I believe it is time to name names, to hold these people up to a glaring light, and shame them for what they have done and continue to do.
"...even if hate is what many want to hear, that doesn’t excuse those who pander to that desire. They should be shunned by all decent people." Paul Krugman
I know it is an anemic effort on my part, and I know it will require a unified effort on the part of all progressives to end this problem, but I am creating a list I call the Inhumane Society to identify the people who are causing us such pain, and I will be posting their names regularly. Please help me to identify people you think should be on the list and list their names in your comments. Please include people in the media who are protecting these people.
UPDATE: I posted this, then went to feed some stray cats. Thank you for your compassion. I read jojothecat's comment and knew he/she understood. I too, cried over the death of Christina Taylor Green.
Here are a few names to begin the list:
Rush Limbaugh
Sarah Palin
John McCain
Jan Brewer
Michelle Malkin
Sean Hannity
Glenn Beck
Rupert Murdoch
Newt Gingrich
Tom Tancredo
Orrin Hatch
Ann Coulter
Tucker Carlson
Rand Paul
Sharon Angle
Tom Coburn
Jim Inhoffe
Joe Wilson
Roger Ailes
Bill O’Reilly
Michael Savage
The Koch Brothers
Tony Perkins
Haley Barbour
Mitch McConnell
Michelle Bachman