Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama, Race and Civil Rights
When you campaign using rhetoric that mentions weapons, cross-hairs and reloading against your political enemies, some would argue that you risk inciting violence among those who take your words too seriously.
That's the criticism being thrust against Sarah Palin and the Right Wing, after the recent shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).
Giffords was shot in the face at point blank range, in addition to a child and judge who were killed on the scene.
Giffords is in the hospital in critical condition.
Shortly after Giffords' shooting, critics of Sarah Palin pointed out that the Republicans had put Giffords on her "target list" of Democrats that she wanted to get rid of during the midterm elections. Palin even created a map, with cross-hairs on the districts of these politicians, as if they were target practice.
Even months before Giffords' shooting, critics said that Palin's rhetoric may cause violence and put the lives of these political leaders in danger.
Tweet
In addition to issuing the map with cross-hairs on it, Palin told her supporters on Twitter:
"Don't Retreat, Instead-RELOAD!"
After Giffords' shooting, some of Palin's critics attacked her directly on her Facebook page:
"What a hypocrite you are," said a critic by the name of Kathy Henn. "You targeted this woman - literally with a target on her district - one of your freaky Fox followers hunted her down - and now you try to distance yourself from blame."
"A child was killed today by someone who can't tell the difference between 'inspiring' speech and a call to arms. I was appalled by your violent speech before, I'm horrified now," said Kirsten Sherk.
This is not the first time that Giffords' life has been in danger.
In August 2009, someone dropped a gun at one of her rallies, leading to the police being called. Around the time that Palin told her supporters to "reload," someone shot out the window of Giffords' office. Giffords' staffers also said that she was receiving violent and nasty phone calls.
Even actress Jane Fonda blamed Palin for what happened to Giffords. On her Twitter page, Fonda said:
"Progressive Arizona Rep Gabrielle Giffords is shot. In her ads, Sarah Palin had her targeted in a gun site. Inciting to violence."
I mentioned recently that the rhetoric being spewed by the Right Wing since the start of the Obama Presidency tests the integrity and stability of our entire Democracy.
The United States is a nation that is spoiled enough to believe that we are guaranteed the right of peaceful transfers of power and that our great nation can never sink to the depths of chaos and civil war like so many other countries around the world.
The truth is that the structure of our government was already designed by the founding fathers in such a way that it facilitates division rather than unity, and the further fragmentation of cable news and Internet media only serves to exacerbate this problem. Rather than getting news from objective sources like Walter Cronkite, people can get their "facts" from the side who sees the world the way they do.
Additionally, as the Right Wing capitalizes off of long-standing racial divisions, they risk resurrecting the very same lynch mob mentality that nearly tore our nation apart 150 years ago.
While the fiery rhetoric of Palin, Birther and Tea Partiers points toward their disdain for liberal values, the truth is that these standard political divisions have been accelerated by their deep-seated resentment of having to take orders from a black man.
To some extent, a bad economy, media fragmentation and racial animosity have created the perfect storm of destruction for America as we know it. If someone doesn't reign things in soon, it's going to get incredibly ugly.
I made a conscious decision three years ago to stop appearing on FOX News, and it wasn't just because the network is a disgrace to modern journalism.
I was also uncomfortable with the hundreds of nasty death threats I'd receive in my e-mail, after each appearance on the network.
Given the number of threats I received from my appearances, I can't imagine how many death threats President Barack Obama must get, and there is no reason that anyone should be subjected to this kind of hatred.
Does Sarah Palin have blood on her hands? Some would say she does. At the very least, I am hopeful that the relatively thoughtless politician will take some time to realize that she is responsible for the words that come out of her mouth. Had the rhetoric not become what it is, the little girl who was murdered on Saturday might still be alive.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.