Gabrielle Giffords is a Democratic representative from Arizona, who was reportedly shot in the head today at a political event in her hometown of Tucson. There are rumors, but no official word on whether she has survived yet.

What I’d like to point people to is something that is in incredibly bad taste, and was in incredibly bad taste before this shooting. It is a list of targets, all marked with gunsights, that Sarah Palin released recently calling for Americans to “Take a Stand”.

I’m not saying that Sarah Palin called for the murder of this woman and we don’t know if the assassination was politically motivated — I am saying that the militant right wing of this country uses some very violent and dangerous rhetoric. I’m saying that using the word “solution” and showing a picture of rifle crosshairs with a list of “Targets” is a horrible idea.

Will the right wing learn its lesson and stop using such militant language? I hope so. I imagine a shit storm is about to fall on Sarah Palin and I almost feel bad for her. And I really hope that Gabrielle Giffords survives, that this wasn’t politically motivated, and there are no copycats.

EDIT: NPR is now reporting that she has not survived. Not good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assassinated_American_politicians

EDIT 2: She was the only member of Congress with a spouse in the military, her husband is an astronaut.

EDIT 3: @mattyglesias posts this image, a campaign event:



EDIT 4: NPR now reporting Giffords may be alive.

EDIT 5: Giffords office was broken into and vandalized earlier this year and there was also a man with a gun at one of her earlier campaign rallies.

EDIT 6: Andrew Sullivan posts in response to the event, which I will pretend had anything to do with the email I sent him.

For a public figure who has appeared on a national ticket and who commands a cult-like following, the irresponsibility is even more profound. And so one reads the following sentences from the Arizona Wildcat last September with the blood draining from one’s face. Palin Reloads; Aims For Giffords Earlier this year, Palin drew sharp criticism for featuring a map on her web page riddled with crosshairs targeting Democrats in vulnerable congressional districts. Tucson’s Gabrielle Giffords is among the 20 Democratic incumbents whom Palin intends to use for target practice.

And we get a screenshot from Sarah Palin’s Twitter feed:

EDIT 7: Sarah Palin has removed both the target list and the above tweet from her accounts and website. There you have it — what’s that law of the internet that says when you try to remove something from the internet it only gets bigger? (The Streisand Effect)

EDIT 8: The congresswoman is out of surgery, they are optimistic as they can be under the circumstances, she was shot “through and through” on one side of her head. I hope she makes it, it is truly horrifying.

EDIT 9: Accused shooter is being named as both Jared Laughner and Jared Lee Loughner. The second name has youtube and myspace accounts, which reveal him to be a very strange guy who is obsessed with grammar, it has anti-government stuff, ramblings about the gold standard, revolution, atheism or antitheism or just not liking God (not clear) and major paranoia about mind control.

EDIT 10: News confirming it’s Jared Loughner, the owner of previously linked youtube account.

EDIT 11: I just want to be clear here, even if the shooter pointed to that hit list or tweet or whatever and said that he was doing this for Sarah Palin, it would not be Sarah Palin’s fault. He’s a nutcase, a crazy person, who did a crazy thing, and that is all on him. I just think that politicians and public figures should be looking at their violent language and question if it’s in good taste or terribly wise to say things like the things she has said.

EDIT 12: ‎(202) 747-1812 is the number for SarahPac. If you believe it was wrong for Sarah Palin to put crosshairs over Giffords’ district given the situation that occurred today, dial the number and let Sarah know your thoughts.

EDIT 13: According to @maddow “Pima County Sheriff says department is “actively in pursuit” of a second suspect — 2nd man not a shooter.” And “Pima County Sheriff says AZ shooting suspect is “unstable”.” Describes second man being sought as “a person of interest”.

EDIT 14: Bomb squad called in to investigate suspicious package at vigil at Giffords office. The gunman’s gun was bought legally in AZ a few weeks ago. Tucson Tea Party Leader has no intention of changing the tone of their rhetoric. The Sheriff thinks that this is the result of violent rhetoric, and they are looking for a second suspect. And the MSM in Tucson is covering the SarahPAC target list.

EDIT 15: Witness Joe Zamudio says he helped bystanders subdue the Arizona gunman as he was trying to reload. Holy crap. It could have been worse.

EDIT 16: KSAZ-TV is reporting Congresswoman Giffords is awake, recognized her husband and spoke to people in her hospital room.

EDIT 17: Last post of the evening. Sheriff on Giffords.

