Direct blame at the shooter

The media war of words against Sarah Palin and recent attempts to create talk show culpability in the wake of Tucson shootings are unfair. Misplaced blame and knee-jerk solutions only exacerbate pain, stifle free speech and deprive liberty.

Consider Palin's words used to paint her as an ignorant hick or a dangerous threat. How should one interpret the “cross hair targets” of political opponents? This has been familiar terminology of election “campaigns” common to every political stripe. Second, why should the words “blood libel” be exclusively applied to a matter of offense to Jews? Semantically, “libel” means “a written defamation … that maliciously or damagingly misrepresents,” in this case, responsibility for Tucson bloodshed.

Should blame be placed on “incendiary, vitriolic and hate” language by talk show hosts and the solution to outlaw what is “perceived” as such? If so, then anyone whose language is perceived politically incorrect by the powers that be could be criminalized. I hear passionate talk show hosts perceive the destruction of our Constitution and way of life by extreme policies and new laws. They urge a non-violent return to our heritage, beginning at the polls.

Who is to blame? The shooter. So the answer is not to junk our First and Second Amendment rights to achieve a perceived peace and harmony. Rather, let us pray for the victims, families, all government officials and our nation. After all, it is God who is our hope, and it is God whose word is final.

Tim Bickel

Cedar Rapids