Arizona Congresswoman Shot in the Head at Public Event

[Aramike]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Considering the destructive and militant vitriol being spread in American politics between Dems and Reps, the martial rethoric and the symbolism of firearms and high level of hate and aggression being displayed, I think it is a miracle that things like this do not happen much more often.

I can see your point, but I disagree. I think our system is designed very well to allow for heated and outright nasty discourse while keeping such events too far beyond the pale to be ordinary. Maybe it's simply because I'm old enough to remember far worse, but I think that modern media has the ability to magnify and personalize tragedy that we begin to look more deeply for its causes, and start to see things that aren't there.