".........There is no indication whatsoever that he was driven by any of today's political rhetoric........."

Thus, so far, no indication. Thus, "whatsoever" is just current status and not enough to conclude. Besides, this guy isn't talking yet. Many media outlets first reported the congresswoman was killed, but they later corrected. More time will reveal more facts.

If one of the quick-draw CCW guys had killed him, we might never know the perp's motivation or relationship to other like-minded individuals. Hopefully, justice should prevail whether he's insane or not.

Sherwood

crap they have called him a "right wing nut job" a "left wing nut job" a "delta wing nut job" and he has invoked his rights to stay SILENT!



one newscaster(fox) last night at 9 was speaking with a criminal shrink about his mug shot and how bad guy had "CRAZY EYES" and "LOOKED CRAZY".



criminal shrink stated" i am sorry but you cant tell if someone is "mentally ill"(crazy) BY LOOKING AT THEM!


bout fell out of my chair on that one.

I understand your emotional response and agree - if that would have lessened the number of his victims.

However, he was put down and held for the police after he'd already emptied his magazine. To have shot him in the head at that point would have been too merciful - he deserves a much slower death.

Which brings up a very sticky and difficult question; should the shooter be found, through due process, which he IS guaranteed, to be insane, should he be put to death? Do we want to break the precedent of our nation being one that does not execute the mentally ill?

That this is a horrific tragedy is crystal clear to anyone in their right mind. The answer to my question, when I attempt to set my emotions aside, isn't so clear.

Random: proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern

Presuming he went there with the intention to kill Giffords I fail to see the random element. Had he gone to the mall and shot people randomly then I could agree with you.

Never mind the root cause or the politics, it appears the he went to kill this woman. Or is it your point he simply went out to kill someone and she was a convenient target?.

How does one who's not a direct witness ID the correct shooter instead of a CCW good samaritan with a drawn weapon? If there are 5 people with drawn weapons, how does one confirm who the shooter really is in say, 2 seconds? Under stress, I'd wager the judgment as well as aim of many with a gun wouldn't be stellar.

Sherwood

Sounds like a plan we can all get behind...

The truth is nobody knows what his political leanings are yet, he had a copy of Mein Kampf and also a copy of the Communist Manifesto. Why does each side want to rush in and play damage control, before knowing the facts? This is a time to focus on the victims' families, not to play the political blame game...(which both sides have done btw, not just liberal pundits).

At a societal level, his actions were completely random. That is the perspective from which the rest of us see any act of this nature. Whether he, as an individual member of our society, did precisely what he intended to do that day is irrelevant to the rest of us. To us, it was random.

Anyone claiming this sort of thing is in any way predictable is immediately suspect, and likely has some sort or overarching agenda. If there were any sort of a pattern to criminaly insane lunatics going on killing sprees, why, by golly, we could predict and hopefully prevent the next one. Alas, unlike Islamic terrorism, we have thus far been unable to detect any pattern whatsoever. Because these events are random anamolies.

Brian, that is simply not true. The truth is, folks who know the guy have commented and indeed, the guy is a lefty loon.
This entire post, save for that in bold, is utterly ridiculous. Unless of course by we, you mean I, and it is because you have not been paying attention.

His YouTube profile listed his favorite books as Mein Kampf and the Communist Manifesto, which are on complete opposite sides of the political spectrum. He registered as an Independent in 2006.

That doesn't sound like he's a Lefty to me...it sounds like he didn't know what he believed or was just mentally ill. Besides, why would a devoted Left-Wing person target a Democrat for assassination? So, where are you getting the idea that he was a Lefty loon, besides some people that said they knew him?

One's political perspective is relative. To a far left radical, anything to the right is conservative...... same with the other end. If he's mentally ill, it doesn't matter from which political spectrum he thinks he's from or what books he "reads".

Was Hitler a progressive, a modern Democrat? :rolleyes:

Sherwood