It would be improper and
unprofessional for those of us connected with ChaddsForedLive.com to speculate
on the motives of Jared Loughner for his murderous attack on a member of the U.S.
Congress and others in a Tucson, Az. shopping center on Jan. 8. We here are
neither mental health workers examining him, nor are we criminal investigators
gathering evidence at the scene.
Yet, neither are the pundits
and talking heads on television who have been telling the American public that
the attack on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was based on volatile and
inflammatory political rhetoric.
Making matters worse is that
one law enforcement official, the Pima County sheriff, was making those claims
immediately after the shooting without any evidence in support of the
allegations. That, too, we deem unprofessional.
The 22-year-old Loughner faces
charges in the wounding of 14 people and the killing of six others last
Saturday. One of the dead is the 9-year-old granddaughter of former Phillies
pitcher and manager Dallas Green.
The shooting is tragic,
shocking and mindless, but the talking heads on both the left and right are
have been pointing fingers before they know any of the underlying facts behind
the shooting.
Members of the national media
and law enforcement jump to conclusions. Along with the county sheriff,
commentators on stations from MSNBC to Fox have referred to Loughner as
everything from a right wing nut to left wing pot head. And those statements
come within a breath, before or after, of saying he was influenced by one side
or other side, left or right, depending on who’s talking. It’s always the fault
of the other side.
Talk show hosts are being vilified
and First Amendment guarantees to freedom of speech are coming under question,
again without any evidence that fiery political speech had any cause in the
shooting. U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C. has said the country needs to "rethink the parameters of the First Amendment."
Apparently no one remembered
anything from the Shirley Sherrod controversy from this past summer when a
woman was accused of racism because a highly edited video of a speech took her
comments out of context. People then were jumping to conclusions without any
facts.
And because this was a
shooting, Second Amendment guarantees to the right to keep and bear arms are
also being questioned.
What’s needed now is
rationality and professionalism, not jumping to conclusions or rash
decision-making.
Opinions are cheap when there’s
no evidence in their support. We will not know what Loughner’s motives were
until he is properly examined. It would appear from a layman’s view that
Loughner is, and was, a mentally troubled youth, but that must be verified by
professionals.
Feel for the victims and their
survivors, but make no decisions until the facts are known and understood.
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