Viewpoint: Politicizing the Tucson Tragedy - WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

Viewpoint: Politicizing the Tucson Tragedy

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Based on all the available evidence, 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner's shooting rampage in Tucson last Saturday was the act of a mentally disturbed man. 

Congresswoman Gabriel Gifford's  and others--- unfortunately--- the targets of a deranged and paranoid mind.  But that didn't stop politicians and pundits on the political left from immediately politicizing the tragedy…blaming conservatives and conservative rhetoric for causing the carnage. 

It started with Pima County sheriff Clarence Dupnik, a Democrat, who blamed right-wing talk radio for encouraging a climate of violence. Before long the sheriff was joined by prominent Democratic politicians and liberal writers for the Washington Post and the New York Times.  

Keith Oberman the left wing anchorman for MSNBC said in a commentary that the political rhetoric of the country must be changed to prevent acts of domestic terrorism.  To blame the acts of an obviously deranged individual on the politics or the political discourse of any political party is transparently self-serving and frankly reprehensible. 

The President thus far has avoided the temptation to engage in this kind of demagoguery and others should follow his lead.   

I'm Jim Cameron.  Write and let us know what you think.

Contact Jim Cameron at jcameron@wdam.com