my congresswoman was shot today

[Deborajen]

I appreciate what you're trying to say, Knotted. The shoot-everyone-you-don't-agree-with metaphors aren't funny. We all love a little good slapstick comedy but this is just too much. And I don't have any use for all of this hateful talk radio, etc, either - not from either political side.

But blaming that for what this guy did isn't realistic. He has 22 years worth of potential bad influence on him, and who knows what it was, not to mention he might just be mentally ill and can't be helped.

Azfiddle, this whole tragedy has put some of Ms. Giffords' kindhearted wisdom on the national scene as everyone wants to know more about her. In that sense, at least something good has come out of this.

[KnottedYet]

I appreciate what you're trying to say, Knotted. The shoot-everyone-you-don't-agree-with metaphors aren't funny. We all love a little good slapstick comedy but this is just too much. And I don't have any use for all of this hateful talk radio, etc, either - not from either political side.

But blaming that for what this guy did isn't realistic. He has 22 years worth of potential bad influence on him, and who knows what it was, not to mention he might just be mentally ill and can't be helped.

Maybe you should re-read my post:

But we really let the Rabbi down by creating a society where a child could fall through the cracks and grow up to be a nightmare-man.

"Whatever you didn't do for the least of these, you didn't do for me."

I didn't blame the rhetoric. I blamed YOU.

Shocking, isn't it, when we realize we all have our part to play. Did we write to our politicians telling them to tone it down? Did we call the police when we heard the neighbor beating his wife for the millionth time? Did we alert Human Services when the boy next door was wandering from house to house looking for a place to stay, because his mom was passed out drunk again? Did we donate to the food bank, even though we really wanted that XBox for Christmas instead? Did we step in when a co-worker was telling off-color jokes, and ask her to stop? Did we hand a "211" meal card and bus voucher to the homeless man begging on the street corner? Did we help the woman struggling with 4 kids at the grocery store? Did we wait patiently when the car in front of us stalled?

It all contributes to the world we live in. Everything that comes out of you adds to the stew we're all swimming in. Is it a healthy, hearty, nourishing stew? Or is it sewage? Are people drowning in it? Will you turn your back, or lend a hand?

WWRYbYD?