Social media is praised for its role in bringing people from all walks of life, from all over the world, together in one forum to discuss and debate both public and private matters.
But when Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head today at a Safeway in Tucson, the ugly side of social media reared its head. Take a look at this comment left on Sarah Palin‘s Facebook page, where she posted condolences to Giffords’ family after the shooting. It’s from Facebook/Twitter user Mark Kerr:
“Go, Sarah! Gifford deserved to die. She was a liberal, a Jew, a health care reformer, an enemy of the NRA, pro abortion and pro gay. What happened to the map? One down and 16 to go.”
The map Kerr is referring to is a map Palin previously posted on her website, SarahPAC.com, that used crosshair-like symbols to pinpoint each House Democrat who voted for health care reform and was up for re-election in November’s midterms.
Gifford was on the list, which can be found here. The map has since been taken off Palin’s website.
On Twitter, many have made up their minds that Palin is to blame. The following is from Tom Colicchio:
“Sarah Palin had Rep Gifford in her crosshairs. She is now officially dangerous.”
The shooting has quickly become, at least on social media, a fight between the left and right, and an excuse for many anti-Palin citizens to speak their minds about her rhetoric.
Markos Moulitsas, founder of the progressive political website The Daily Kos, posted this tweet not long ago:
“Mission accomplished, Sarah Palin, http://is.gd/knNgl“
The link above leads to a blog post regarding Palin’s map of health care reform-supporting House Democrats.
His tweet quickly got a response from conservative Andrew Breitbart:
“For the love of God, @markos. Stop it. Don’t go there, trust me. Trust me. Trust me. You will not like the blow-back, I assure you.”
Many are criticizing the reaction, calling for everyone to be tactful during this time of crisis, especially since we now know a 9-year-old was tragically shot dead during the attack.
UPDATE 9:08 p.m. ET: The author of the infamous comment posted on Sarah Palin’s Facebook, Mark Kerr, has stated, repeatedly, on his Twitter account that he was being sarcastic. Click here to see.
Putting crosshairs on people and telling “don’t retreat, reload?” WTF else would she be supporting?
Even Palin should know that shooting people in the head kills them. Playing dumb isn’t an excuse this time.
Agree 100%
Your remarks are taken out of context. When does a political election equate to the actions of an obviously unbalanced madman? The answer is NEVER. Insanity breeds insane acts. Pure and simple. At a time when the whole country should be rallying around Congresswoman Giffords, those who were wounded and the families of the slain, your insensitive and blatantly stupid remarks cast disgrace upon you and all those foolish enough to share your unbalanced reasoning.
Violent rhetoric is violent rhetoric. It’s that pure and simple.
To say that it isn’t instigating speak, is disingenuous and skirts the issue.
If one can follow the dots, and circumstantial evidence is acceptable, then Sarah Palin is to a accused as an accomplice to the death of the nine year old child, the maiming and assault on the others on the scene, as well as attempted murder of the Congresswoman.
To place the blame on Palin shows the complete stupidity of those on the left.
She was talking about taking political aim (which means VOTE OUT) those people NOT SHOOT OR KILL.
To say that she is even remotely responsible is being intellectually dishonest.
My heart goes out to the family of Giffords and the family who just lost a dear innocent child.
The person who did this deserves the death penalty… however the left are against that and would prefer to place the blame where it doesn’t belong.
Really? Then why does the imagery and reference need used? I dont say this was Palin’s intent. I in no way believe it is. But how many cross hairs and gun rhetoric needs used by the right before some moron acts on it? I didn’t see any Dem adds this election with cross hairs on their opponent. Its irresponsible to keep playing the lowest common denominator in politics. Can we grow up and discuss issues?
Yes, we can discuss the issues. The issue is Sarah Palin being blamed for the inhuman act of a deranged madman, and deranged Leftists like you thinking a political image, also used by the Left in
targeting red states for takeover after Kerry’s loss in 2004, makes Palin guilty for the deranged reader
of Mein Kampf (a National SOCIALIST book) and the Communist Manifesto going on this despicable rampage. There is no connection. Insane people do insane things. You should be ashamed!
Exactly what part of “reload” or “second amendment remedies” relates to voting.
Did I miss where we started voting with guns?
You are all retarded fuck faces. kill all the politicians liberal or conservative.
This is intresting news to visiit more:http://onlinenews4u.com/2011/01/09/gabrielle-giff…ot-in-the-head/
listen to rush limbaugh, ann coulter, michele malkin, et al and tell me that the encouragement for threats of violence haven’t been coming from the far right for a long time now! if they weren’t bad enough you’ve got palin specifically using gun sights, guns and violence as metaphors for what (?)……calm debate? hardly. this lays at the feet of the far right who has been roiled up since patriotism turned into nationalism within their ranks.
What about the Paul Rand supporter that held a woman’s head down with his foot?
There is a bumper sticker that reads “Do America a Favor and Punch a Liberal”……I have NEVER ONCE seen a liberal bumper sticker calling for violence……we’re the anti-gun, anti-war, anti-violence people……..which so many seem to conveniently be forgetting today!
Sarah Palin is a pro at whipping her audiences into a frenzy; have we forgotten the 2008 race in which her audience was chanting for Obama’s assassination, calling him a foreigner, a terrorist? This is a terrible precedent, it was only a matter of time before someone was hurt.
Here’s your “pro at whipping her audiences into a frenzy,” speaking just days before this cowardly and inhuman assault took place:
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/01/05/marxist-frances-fox-piven-calls-for-a-violent-uprising-against-the-american-system/
Her name is Frances Fox Piven, and the revolutionary rhetoric she and her husband espoused in the ’60s led to the unrest, death and destruction that raged across our nation during that era. I don’t think she’s part of Sarah Palin’s team, do you? If I were to be as simple-minded as you, I could blame the gunman’s terrible actions on the words of this Leftist idiot, since her words were widely reported so close to the act of this lone, unhinged Leftist gunman. The man is insane. That’s why we he did what he did. No sane person living in the greatest nation on Earth would do this.
Sarah Palin cannot reasonably be held responsible for the shooting in Arizona, but her cross-hair imagery is foolish and irresponsible, especially considering the assassinations of the Kennedys, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Harvey Milk. From John Wilkes Booth to Dan White political assassins have too often reshaped American politics. Anybody who uses the imagery of marksmanship or invokes “second amendment solutions” against their political opponents is either deliberately encouraging assassination or too stupid to understand that some of their more extremist followers will see it that way and take it as encouragement to kill.
Americans should repudiate the politics of death and violence, and the politicians who exploit such imagery and language.
The Left is just looking for an excuse to blame Palin and the Tea Party for the acts of this Communist-Manifesto reading nutcase. Sounds more like one of Obama’s advisors than a Republican.
Great article. Social media clearly has an impact on some of the most important issues in our society. Your article truly points out its significant impact on a very unfortunate event.
I linked you in my blog: http://www.getsocialnomical.com/2011/01/social-media-impact-on-suspected-az.html
who cares
Thknas for taking the time to post. It’s lifted the level of debate