Five Things That Were True Before The Shootings In Tucson

Since the horrific shooting in Tucson that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed 6 others, a number of conversations have commenced about the extreme rhetoric that has emerged in the current political culture. Many on the right are angry that they are being blamed for the creating the context under which the shootings took place, especially since its become clear that shooter was an unstable, but not politically active, individual. Understand that, let me point to five facts that are true, whether or not the shooting ever took place.

Fact #1: In August of 2009, a protestor at a Giffords event dropped a gun that he had carried to it.

Fact #2: The day that the health care reform bill passed, Giffords' congressional office had a window either shot out or broken out.

Fact #3: Gabby Giffords' 2010 opponent held a campaign event shooting an automatic M-16, saying "Get on Target for Victory. Help remove Gabrielle Gifford from office."

So, to be clear, there were multiple instances of threats and violent rhetoric in Arizona's 8th Congressional District over the past two years. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had mentioned her concern over these incidents. So when a violent shooting incident nearly takes her life, it is incumbent upon those who don't think this history is relevant to tell us why, not on those of us who think this rhetoric creates a climate where attacks like this can occur.

Fact #4: Sarah Palin had a map of 20 Democrats who voted for health care reform targeted for defeat. Their districts, including Rep. Giffords, were placed under crosshairs. Palin later referred to them as "bullseyes."

Fact #5: On March 25, 2010, appearing on MSNBC, Rep. Giffords mentioned the crosshairs ad, saying," ...for example, we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district, and when people do that, they've gotta realize there are consequences to that action."