This excerpt, from the 1/13/11 edition of the "Greenwich Post", sums up the effect of current political climate on the Arizona tragedy very well, IMO.
"While it is unfair to lay this directly at the feet of the Sarah Palins and Glenn Becks and those who see the need to use violent imagery and rhetoric to make their political points, it would also be shortsighted to ignore the fact that the toxic climate coming from the political right in this country is hurting our democracy.
It's no longer enough to disagree with someone politically. Now we must "kill" bills. Political opponents are identified through gunsights. People come armed to town meetings.
The right wing talk show hosts and political leaders in this country have turned reasonable opposition to Barack Obama's and Nancy Pelosi's ideas into a battle for American freedom, equating tax increases for the wealthiest Americans and health care for the uninsured with the loss of our liberty. People are buying this nonsense and it's turning the Becks, Palins and Limbaughs into wealthy people making a fortune off our fear and ignorance.
There is much we can do in the wake of this tragedy. We can finally get serious about real gun control. The alleged killer - despite having a mental illness that was clear to Army recruiters who rejected him from service - was legally able to buy a gun and a 30-round clip of ammunition that allowed him to continue killing without reloading. "
