On Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, the political world was rocked as a man named Jared Loughner allegedly shot congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the head, killing six and wounding 13 besides her. One of the big problems I have with that fact, besides the obvious, is that the political world should not have been rocked. The political world should not have rippled, unless it was from the loss of one heroic judge and a congresswoman loved and respected on both sides of the aisle.  However, barely had the people who were shot gotten to the hospital when the accusations started flying. Within hours, without journalists even knowing the identity of everyone who was shot or who the suspect was, media began to blame republican “rhetoric” for the assassination attempt.

In hearing this for the first time, I was so angry that I, regrettably, posted a status on my Facebook page condemning the reporting of journalists who had so little facts to go off of, and who used an incident like a murder to gain political points. The reply that I got staggered me.

One of the people who replied felt that the space under my status was not sufficient for his amount of information, and so he created an entire webpage dedicated to proving that these accusations were true. And while the webpage was well-organized and had a good color scheme, it was in fact, full of nothing but speculation. Wondering how many people felt this way, I turned on the news, and was astounded to hear Lawrence O’Donnell, the host of MSNBC’s “The Last Word,” with no fact base whatsoever, ask why couldn’t Sarah Palin just apologize for her map with the crosshairs on it? Why couldn’t republicans take responsibility for their actions?

Well, O’Donnell, I’d like to answer that query if I could for you.

First off, I’ll tell you that those maps with targets, crosshairs, what have you, have been used by both democrats and republicans for decades. You didn’t know that as you were reporting though, of course. That would mean that you were twisting the facts to make your opinion look viable.

Secondly, Loughner himself had barely been studied at all when you made these accusations, and so his motives were completely unknown.  We knew that more and more reports were coming out from classmates, teachers and policemen describing Loughner as a “disturbed and creepy individual,” and telling stories of previous police encounters, Loughner threatening teachers, and strange daily outbursts in class.  We also knew that he had been suspended from college and had a history of drug use. Classmates had also claimed that he was not political, and didn’t follow any particular blogger, radio show, news channel or the like. There was, at the time, nothing to support these accusations.  

It was only later that Pima Community College released the 51 pages of reported campus run-ins involving Loughner, having to do with him shouting at teachers, incoherently rambling at campus police, and posting delusional tirades on Youtube. It was also later that an ex-girlfriend of Loughner reported that the drugs Loughner used included hallucinogenic mushrooms. We also learned that Loughner had had a strange obsession with congresswoman Giffords ever since he attended an event she hosted in 2007.  We also know that the things Loughner posted on the internet stated his belief that the government used brainwashing and mind control.  

Even if Loughner was a republican, he would still be a psychopath. Republicans have disagreed with the current administration, yes, and they have that right under the constitution. But if a person wanted to look at political rhetoric, he would have to look at it from both sides.

Representative Paul Kanjorski, on Oct. 23, 2010 said about a republican, “That Scott down there that’s running for governor of Florida, instead of having him run for governor of Florida, they ought to have him shot.  Put him against the wall and shoot him…He’s no hero.  He’s a damn crook.”

The hypocritical ranting by certain reporters has definitely lasted long enough. It’s time to get back to the real reporting.  I think President Barack Obama said it best in his Tuscon memorial speech.

“But, at  a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized – at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who happen to think differently than we do – it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.”

In closing his speech, President Obama also said,  “if this tragedy prompts reflection and debate – as it should – let’s make sure it’s worthy of those we have lost. Let’s make sure it’s not on the usual plane of politics and point-scoring and pettiness that drifts away in the next news cycle.”