AZ State Senator Linda Lopez today suggested that the tea party had something to do with the shooting of Rep Gabrielle Giffords and several other people this afternoon.
Here’s the video of Lopez being interviewed by Shep Smith. Lopez starts associating the tea party to today’s events at approximately the 4:18 mark.
To suggest that this attack was the work of conservatives / tea party members only shows that not only do despicable creeps like Linda Lopez still not understand who we are and what we represent, but that they will take advantage of any situation, up to and including the attempted murder of a close personal friend, to attempt to demonize the tea party.
Beyond that though, how incredibly irresponsible for a sitting state representative to make public comments like this, considering the potential such a statement could have to stir up further division, strife, and even retaliatory violence.
I think perhaps Linda Lopez needs to be reminded that since the dawn of the tea party movement, there have been zero, ZERO confirmed acts of violence on the part of tea party members, while in the same time period, acts of violence by Democrats and their supporters on the left have been well documented almost too numerous to count.
Here’s Linda Lopes’ contact info in case anyone is motivated to contact her:
Linda Lopez
House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington, Room 321
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Fax Number: (602) 417-3029
Phone Number: (602) 926-4089 or 1-800-352-8404
Email: llopez@azleg.state.az.us and/or llopez@azleg.gov
In closing…..look, I completely understand that Lopez may be in a state of shock and quite possibly not in her best frame of mind at the moment, but dammit, I’m sick and tired of being libeled, slandered, and otherwise defamed by these people.
Linda Lopez needs to apologize. Now.
Update: According to Gateway Pundit, shooter Jared Loughlin “quite liberal”
Update: Comments from an acquaintance of Jared Loughlin
…..
-Cnation
Of course it was a Tea Party terrorist!
The Left had no reason to shoot a liberal Congresswoman.
Use your brain.
Did you even bother to check the guy’s youtube channel? How about the “Comments from an acquaintance of Jared Loughlin” link in this post?
Loughner isn’t a tea partier or conservative by any stretch of the imagination, and there are no ‘tea party terrorists’, no matter how much you might want there to be.
From all available evidence to this point, Loughner may be a leftist, possibly even an anarchist, but he is most certainly insane.
“Most certainly insane”? Someone’s playing psychiatrist. Thomas, understand that we can no more call him insane than we can call him a Tea Party supporter. You can’t certify someone “insane” based on what they write, or even do. What we can say is that J.L. holds dear many of the same values (i.e., gold standard) as Tea Party supporters. That shouldn’t make you feel uncomfortable. Nor should Linda Lopez having an opinion.
If you can’t form an opinion of a person based on their words, writing and actions, then what can you base an opinion on?
I think any rational person, having read the words of Jared Loughner, having seen his videos, and having seen his horrendous actions this afternoon, could reasonably conclude that he was/is not a man of sound mind.
As for Lopez, surely you can understand the problem with a state official making such a damning yet unfounded association on a national/international news network? Massively, massively irresponsible.
I’m not going to argue with you about whether or not this guy can be associated with the tea party, as new information is coming out seemingly by the minute that is in the process of putting that particular leftist fantasy to rest once and for all. Among reasonable people, anyway….I don’t expect the fine folks over at the kos, for example, to come around any time soon.
Governor Lopez is a disgrace to our nation. I urge all citizens to call her office and demand a retraction of her vitriolic rhetoric towards the Tea Party
Great post on this over at hillbuzz
IS DAILY KOS INVOLVED IN ARIZONA MURDERS?
Um, ever heard of psychiatric testing? Medical protocols that are designed to define brain pathologies — not moral stigmas. Bottom line, leave it to medical professionals, not people who might possible have a reason to label him as such and thereby sever any possible connection between the alleged culprit and their political interests.
Anyway, I never said he was “associated” with the Tea Party, only that he shares many common values … just like many terrorists. They are not members of al Qaeda but they share many common values.
Well, I’m afraid I just don’t understand the mindset that says that only a trained professional can render an opinion on something that is readily apparent to the casual observer. For instance, would you need a fireman to tell you your house is on fire? A traffic engineer to to point out that your exit is backed up for a mile and a half at rush hour? A weatherman to tell you it’s cold out?
Sorry Oilbaron, the guy is completely off his nut.
On a final note to Oil Baron…. interesting how many different usernames are in the moderation queue coming from your IP address. Sock puppet much?
Oh, and calling another commenter ‘Teabagger’? How original.
Adios.
Why is that people have to blame innocent people like the TEA PARTY that have no control over other people.The fact of the matter there are a lot of CRAZY people in this world.They come in all shapes and sizes and have different political back ground and views.Quit trying to pass the buck and blame others for the actions of the mentally challenged.Statements like this that the TEA PARTY are responsible, make me think your a die hard republican or die hard democrat.We will never get nothing done when we have so many people that are die hards.I vote on who I think is going to do the right thing for AMERICANS,not their party’s.