# Gabrielle Giffords Shot; Sheriff Blames Conservative Rhetoric. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 9, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957 "2011-01-09T06:56:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957/1 "2011-01-09T06:56:47Z")
So I think there is something to the belief that the Republicans have been stirring up the crazies with their rhetoric. The tone and language that they use almost made this sort of incident inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957/2 "2011-01-09T07:01:06Z")
> **["Second Amendment Solutions" (the \[hopefully civil\] GD version)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=592270)** > > EDIT in case this gets bumped in the future: Thread is about the shooting of US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords In all calm honesty, how many of us predicted this? How often was it discussed that someone could/probably would die from all the rabble... ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957/3 "2011-01-09T07:05:54Z")
No, the sheriff didn’t blame “conservatives”. And “almost made this sort of incident inevitable” is what we in the debating business call weasel words. And did you really not see the other thread on this subject? ---
**Author:** ![CyclopticXander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957/4 "2011-01-09T07:06:09Z")
I also believe that to be true in general. But the problem with hitting that point so hard before we have a lot of information on the suspect in this particular case is obvious. We’re likely to end up with egg on our faces when it turns out the guy was simply off his rocker and his rhetoric can only vaguely resemble any kind of mainstream political speech. Then all the conservative talkers can go on about how quick liberals were to jump the gun and blame the poor maligned peaceful tea party. Sarah Palin then has another feather in her cap. I for one do not want to go down that road. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957/5 "2011-01-09T07:10:27Z")
> [@CyclopticXander](#): > > I also believe that to be true in general. > > But the problem with hitting that point so hard before we have a lot of information on the suspect in this particular case is obvious. We’re likely to end up with egg on our faces when it turns out the guy was simply off his rocker and his rhetoric can only vaguely resemble any kind of mainstream political speech. Then all the conservative talkers can go on about how quick liberals were to jump the gun and blame the poor maligned peaceful tea party. Sarah Palin then has another feather in her cap. > > I for one do not want to go down that road. Cough Sherrod cough. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gabrielle-giffords-shot-sheriff-blames-conservative-rhetoric/566957/6 "2011-01-09T07:12:18Z")
This topic is already being discussed in the Pit, and I can’t imagine this thread turning out differently. There is an MPSIMS thread tracking the shooting and related events, so I’m locking this one.