I hereby adopt my friend‘s mantra:
I will still kick your ass, Big Gas Mafia, but I will do it because I love my friends, my children, the animals and this planet.
19 people were shot today, 6 people are dead and Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is clinging to life all done in the name of hate and bigotry.
From Michel Marizco, NPR reporter on the scene:
“Let me just say one thing, because people tend to poo poo this about all the vitriol that we hear enflaming the American public by people who make a living off of doing that. That may be free speech, but it’s not without consequences.” — Sheriff Clarence Dupnik.
MLK:
And so I stand here to say this afternoon to all assembled here, that in spite of the darkness of this hour (Yeah Well), we must not despair. (Yeah, Well) We must not become bitter (Yeah, That’s right), nor must we harbor the desire to retaliate with violence. No, we must not lose faith in our white brothers. (Yeah, Yes) Somehow we must believe that the most misguided among them can learn to respect the dignity and the worth of all human personality.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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I think of Arizona as my home state…I am not surprised that the state has turned to this type of violence.
This breaks my heart…
It's interesting that Fox News is totally ignoring the angry rhetoric encouraging violence questions.
I put on my "Turn off FOX NEWS!" t-shirt yesterday morning, not having any idea of the tragic events that would unfold later in the day. I'm wearing it again today to church. I encourage all of you to order and wear one, and to speak the truth for all to hear.
Sue, you are one of the few who talks the talk and walks the walk.
There is no TV channel that speaks the truth anymore, left or right, that is up for us to determine.
Let's be rational and fair. No News network, talking head–of any side of the political spectrum –can have the power (and blame) as some are suggesting. The fact is that the gunner is affected by untreated (and treatable ) mental illness/es. There's no link, much less proof, between his horrible acts and any horrible (and legally protected) speech by anyone. The only speech that influenced this tortured soul was likely the one/s that only he could hear.
We can disagree with Fox News and/or its counterpart MSNBC, but should show restraint and rationality in placing blame on either of them because it's a dangerous path to take since if
/when one of the many readers of this blog who (God forbid) has psychological issues were to commit some violent act against one of the many sources of poison in the shale areas, this same way of thinking would blame you and the content of the blog as the cause or link to an action that we don't think you would advocate.
The Gas Mafia would definitely make hay with such a tragedy, especially to hurt you the proverbial thorn in their side. At such time, this writer and admirer will come to your defense and will use the same emphasis on reason and fairness as criteria for conclusion and/or accusation.
Thank you, A, for the interesting comment. Most of the time, though, my friends do not start off by accusing me of being unfair and irrational.
While I absolutely do believe in free speech, as demonstrated consistently, I also believe the mainstream media should be held to high standards of truth and responsibility. Calling for the shooting of judges and other public figures falls WAY below even low standards.
It is a fact that that are weak and mentally ill people in our society. And it is a fact that they are easily influenced. I'm sure you can remember why Ronald Reagan was shot. Recently Tea Partiers, railed up with violent rhetoric stomped on a young girl's head.
MSNBC cannot in any way be called a "counterpart" to Fox; nice try though. When MSNBC reports something that is false there are consequences, the least of which is a public, on air admission of the false reporting. To contrast, I have personally caught Bill O'Reilly in many on air lies. Never once has he admitted a mistake.
I think the dangerous mistake would be to fall for your suggestion that we overlook the violent rhetoric used by Glenn Beck, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Palin, et al.
I have certainly empowered people to speak out and to engage in non-violent acts of civil disobedience. I do not advocate violence. So again, nice try but I'm not intimidated.
Sharon Wilson
What if the obstructionist party had supported health care for all Americans? Maybe there would be fewer cases of untreated mental illness.
Your points are well taken, Sharon. It's a stretch to take a calm call for the community of people who read your excellent blog (this writer among them) to exercise fairness and rationality as any thing close to an accusation against your posture. In truth there was not any "try" , even a nice one, to do anything beyond offering a constructive contribution to a calm conversation within the community of your readers.
In light of the main cause and unifying theme behind your blog, this writer thinks that finding common ground (e.g. concerns for clean air and water, public health and safely, legal and property rights, etc.) and building alliances are more important and productive than political partisanship….which has its place. Maybe this writer is prejudiced by her lack of emphasis on partisan politics because passionate statements against (or for) well paid talking heads does not elicit any desire to react along political partisan lines. The same standards apply to both ends of the political spectrum, and in between.
Your passion is clear and has been of great help to our shared fight against the biggest threat to our lives, our families, and our communities in the B.S. area. Making friends and working together (in spite of inevitable differences among thinking individual) is the way to fight against the amoral profiteers exploiting our environment and neighbors.
This is indeed a nice try….to "make the main thing the main thing". An army that shoot among itself will not be effective in achieving its mission. We're on the same team and fighting a common threat and enemies, dear friend.
A. Friend is CREEPY!
Commenter "A. Friend" seems quite bright and right to me. Maybe her way of expressing her well reasoned thoughts are not typical in such comment sections, and thus seems "creepy" to some. Also, partisan politics has fairly predictable by products.
The creepy people are elected officials who smile at you in church or at a public venue but are working furiously to enable the poising of our neighbors and the robbery of their properties and rights. Let's set our "creepy" radar for the right targets/threats.
The "main thing" has everything to do with politics.
I agree that we have a shared fight but I choose to fight with my eyes wide open. What good are “friends” who continue to fight with their eyes closed? That is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot. Then I will end up carrying you. The best example I have of this painful habit of foot shooting is the past election.
Are we better off now than before? Did people make smarter choices?
Ah, that would be a definite no. In fact, we are much worse off than before with calls from the newly elected conservatives to remove all regulation from the oil and gas industry.
With friends like that, we won't get far.
So why do some keep making the same mistakes over and over again? That’s a rhetorical question. I don’t have to fall in a hole but a couple of times before I decide to walk down a different road.
continued
Do you have a sockpuppet?
Not sure what a sock puppet is, Sharon. But since you desire one of thesr, we resourceful readers should be able to find one for you. What do you say gang? Let's git ' er done for out friend Sha-ron 😀
Google is U.R. Friend. =D
This corporate mega-giant is more like a usefull neighbor than a friend, U.R. and otherwise. Make that a creepy neighbor that records your every action and interaction, all for the sake of making money for herself. Even if it means turning records over to the bloody Commies in China, and we have a good idea what such paranoid and suppressive regimes do with such a goldmine of information from G-o-o-g-l-e.
How about just plain old socks? Or puppets.