Sarah Palin emailed Glenn Beck to refudiate her possible responsibility for inciting the Tucson shooting. Meanwhile, did you know she has her own stalker, news of which just conveniently resurfaced? Poor, map-surveying Sarah.
Beck described an email exchange on his radio show in which he passed on the name of his security firm to Palin because “there are nutjobs on all sides….Sarah, as you know, peace is always the answer. I know you are felling the same heat, if not much more on this,” Beck said he wrote.
That’s not the end of this perfectly on-brand touchy feely Commie crap. Palin’s response allegedly included, “I hate violence. I hate war. Our children will not have peace if politicos just capitalize on this.”
As Alex Pareene points out in a masterful analysis of how over-the-top rhetoric on the right created an environment for Jared Lee Loughner to target Giffords of all people, this is utter bullshit.
When she’s not talking about God, Sarah Palin’s talking about guns. Practically all her rhetoric is blood-soaked, and proficiency with firearms is a key element of her persona. Her cult can claim her stupid map wasn’t supposed to show rifle sights aimed at vulnerable Democratic districts, but anyone who’s ever seen a violent movie — which is to say, Americans of all ages — knows what cross hairs look like. “Don’t Retreat, Instead – RELOAD” isn’t one unfortunate incident of over-the-top language, it’s her mantra. “Going Rogue” begins with that line, attributed to her father.
Meanwhile, the moderator at a Politico debate about the whole thing takes an evenhanded approach: “If Palin plans to seek national political office does she need to offer a broader explanation for her brand of confrontational politics, or even an apology? Or is Palin the one owed an apology since not a scintilla of evidence has emerged linking the shooter to any words or actions on her part?”
Okay, here’s an apology. Sarah, I’m sorry you’re so ignorant as to think your words have consequences by mainstreaming extremist rhetoric. I’m sorry your support of weaponry is the same force that allowed guns to get in the hands of a deeply unstable man. How’s that?
Watering The Tree Of Liberty [Salon]
New Fears About Sarah Palin’s Stalker [TMZ]
Sarah Palin In Email To Glenn Beck: I Hate Violence [CBS News]