Gunman attacks political event in Tucson, 12 wounded.

[FSTargetDrone]

Did you even watch the videos that you yourself linked to?

Raving lunatic demanding everyone create a new currency backed by silver and gold. Incapable of rational thought and belonged in a mental asylum.

Which is why we might find it a wasted effort to lock this guy down and assign him a particular flavor of political leanings. He's all over the place with his interests as far as reading material goes. Who's to say he even read any or all of all those books he listed (let alone understood them). For all we know he skimmed them at most, or just mentioned them to sound impressive.

[Ariphaos]

Exactly. The only thing we really have is that he held a couple of libertarian viewpoints rather strongly, but most of it is addled gibberish, rather sad attempts at syllogistic logic. The guy was not sane.

[Pelranius]

Exactly. The only thing we really have is that he held a couple of libertarian viewpoints rather strongly, but most of it is addled gibberish, rather sad attempts at syllogistic logic. The guy was not sane.

If he had an accomplice, I'd like to know what the accomplice's motives were.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

The Police are tentatively seeking a second suspect said to be a white male in his 50s. It is easy enough to believe that such an individual groomed Laughner into the assassination, since the target is very well selected--the chance to kill a prominent pro-immigration federal judge and a democratic congresswoman at the same time.

[Rogue 9]

I was just shaking my head over this as I laid out some old newspaper on my work table to paint a model on, when I unfolded it to the opinion page. The paper was from March 29 of last year (I'm not even sure why I still have it), and in it was the following column. I think it relevant.

GOP: 'Don't blame us for what we caused'

Leonard Pitts Jr.

Hi, boys and girls! As a public service, I've prepared the following statement for Republican leaders to use when some disgruntled opponent of health care reform injures somebody - or worse. Given recent reports of threats against Democratic lawmakers in the wake of last week's historic vote, that moment has come to feel inevitable.

When it happens, don't you want your favorite GOP lawmaker to be ready? You can ensure that he or she is simply by clipping this statement and mailing it to them. That way, when the time comes, all your lawmaker will have to do is circle the appropriate choices and fill in the blank!

"We condemn, in the strongest terms, the recent bombing/stabbing/beating/shooting that wounded/killed Senator/Representative/President. There is no place in our democracy for that kind of thing and our party stands foursquare against those who would bring violence into political debate. We extend our best wishes/heartfelt condolences and join with other Americans in hoping the perpetrators will be swiftly caught and punished.

"At the same time, we must also reject the suggestion, made by some, that our behavior over the course of this long debate on health care somehow set the scene for this tragic incident which, as we have already said, we condemn.

"Some have contended that - through incidents like Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst where he called the president a liar during a joint session of Congress, and the one where members of our party cheered hecklers in the public gallery during last week's debate and that thing where Rep. Randy Neugebauer yelled 'baby killer!' and that comment by Rep. John Boehner that Rep. Steve Driehaus 'may be a dead man' because of his vote - we have contributed to a coarsening of political discourse that made this tragedy entirely predictable.

"Some have gone so far as to suggest the tea party patriots who have led the charge against the socialistic/communistic/tyrannical/satanic health care bill are a graver threat to the nation than the legislation they oppose. The tea partiers have been characterized as dangerous and intolerant extremists by people who have read their signs and listened to their rhetoric.

"We object to this slander of these concerned Americans. Just because at least 10 representatives have reported death threats since the bill was passed and Rep. Dennis Cardoza says he's been physically threatened, and vandals broke the door of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' office, and bricks have been thrown through the windows of other representatives' offices, and just because police and the FBI are taking all these threats seriously and now there's this latest bombing/stabbing/beating/shooting (that we strongly condemn), is no reason to cast aspersions upon the entire tea party movement.

"By attempting to focus the nation's attention on all these isolated incidents, left-wing Democrats and their allies in the media seek to divert us from what should be the real story here. Namely, the fact that we in the Republican Party are working nonstop to repeal this monstrous/disgusting/demonic/diabolical bill. To that end, we are pursuing all available legal challenges and procedural options. We are also inventing a time machine.

"As this important work goes on, we are proud to have the able assistance of the patriotic Americans in the tea party movement. Some have suggested that the Republican Party, the party of Reagan and Lincoln, should be ashamed of its close affiliation with these patriots.

"We reject that idea. Indeed, if our critics know nothing else about us after this long and rancorous debate, they should know this: We have no shame."

Whether this lunatic was connected to the Tea Party or not, it is still a useful thing to remember. Also, as the column notes, Representative Giffords has been threatened and her office attacked before.

[Pelranius]

The Police are tentatively seeking a second suspect said to be a white male in his 50s. It is easy enough to believe that such an individual groomed Laughner into the assassination, since the target is very well selected--the chance to kill a prominent pro-immigration federal judge and a democratic congresswoman at the same time.

Sounds about brave as Osama bin Laden, if that's true. You get someone else to do the killing and dying for your cause, but you have other priorities/ "are too valuable to the movement" to do the grunt work.

[HMS Sophia]

News over here is reporting it
Obama has given a statement decrying it, unsurprisingly.
Only caught the last bit of the report but apparently whoever took him down was one brave SOB

[cosmicalstorm]

Another assasination of a public figure who is not Fred Phelps

[Broomstick]

by the way its an awesome thought that this guy I am talking about can easily buy a firearm in this state with no mention of his mental health on his background check.

If there is no official record of mental health diagnosis or treatment it won't show up on a background check.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

The Police are tentatively seeking a second suspect said to be a white male in his 50s. It is easy enough to believe that such an individual groomed Laughner into the assassination, since the target is very well selected--the chance to kill a prominent pro-immigration federal judge and a democratic congresswoman at the same time.

The authorities have been quite consistent in maintaining that Judge Roll was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He apparently decided that, since he was in the neighborhood, he'd drop in and say hello. I suspect the chance to get Giffords, her staffers, and terrorize her constituency was more than motivation enough. Getting Judge Roll was an accidental bonus.

If there is no official record of mental health diagnosis or treatment it won't show up on a background check.

Indeed. And neither would the criminal complaint against him, since that was dismissed after he completed some sort of program.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

You cannot take away the right to possess firearms under US law without a court hearing, and someone has to be remanded to mental health treatment against their will for the courts to be involved, so the standard for mental health grounds for revoking the right to possess is and always will be having been involuntarily committed to mental health treatment by a court appearance, or having a court declare you mentally incapable of handling your own affairs. Since no such occurrence happened, he was able to buy firearms without difficulty. Otherwise only felonies and domestic violence misdemeanor convictions can also strip the right to possess, and again, he had neither.

[hunter5]

You cannot take away the right to possess firearms under US law without a court hearing, and someone has to be remanded to mental health treatment against their will for the courts to be involved, so the standard for mental health grounds for revoking the right to possess is and always will be having been involuntarily committed to mental health treatment by a court appearance, or having a court declare you mentally incapable of handling your own affairs. Since no such occurrence happened, he was able to buy firearms without difficulty. Otherwise only felonies and domestic violence misdemeanor convictions can also strip the right to possess, and again, he had neither.

In some states all it takes is some nut to put a restraining order on (Illinois I think it might have changed since the supreme court decision).

[Ritterin Sophia]

Sounds about brave as Osama bin Laden, if that's true.

As much as we may hate OBL, he really is that important and given his actions against the Soviets I don't think it's reasonable to call him a coward. You're conflating bravery with stupidity. If you have a charismatic leader that helps get your message across to others, then it's practical to not waste him on a suicide run but to induct more people willing to do it for him.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

You cannot take away the right to possess firearms under US law without a court hearing, and someone has to be remanded to mental health treatment against their will for the courts to be involved, so the standard for mental health grounds for revoking the right to possess is and always will be having been involuntarily committed to mental health treatment by a court appearance, or having a court declare you mentally incapable of handling your own affairs. Since no such occurrence happened, he was able to buy firearms without difficulty. Otherwise only felonies and domestic violence misdemeanor convictions can also strip the right to possess, and again, he had neither.

In some states all it takes is some nut to put a restraining order on (Illinois I think it might have changed since the supreme court decision).

Regardless, that still requires a court and a judge, which was the point I was trying to make. If he's never been brought to court over his issues before, he's unquestionably still legally able to possess.

[MKSheppard]

Damnit, know what I just realized? He has a very good chance of skirting the death penalty, both Arizona and Federal on an insanity plea.

[Aaron]

Damnit, know what I just realized? He has a very good chance of skirting the death penalty, both Arizona and Federal on an insanity plea.

Rotting in jail or an institution for the rest of his life isn't exactly going to be a life of fun and luxury you know. You'll get your pound of flesh, it'll just be portioned out over a lifetime.

[Mr Bean]

Damnit, know what I just realized? He has a very good chance of skirting the death penalty, both Arizona and Federal on an insanity plea.

Rotting in jail or an institution for the rest of his life isn't exactly going to be a life of fun and luxury you know. You'll get your pound of flesh, it'll just be portioned out over a lifetime.

When your dead your dead, when your alive you get to make jail-house books, talk with supporters. Witness the abortion doctor murders who are lavished with praise and visited by supporters every few weeks. America has a very lenient visitor policy in some states (Arizona being one) and they can't change the rules for one prisoner without redoing them for all unless the prisoner causes trouble, and most politicos are model prisoners.

[MKSheppard]

Another assasination of a public figure who is not Fred Phelps

Speaking of Fred Phelps, he's going to picket that 9 year old girl's funeral.

[cosmicalstorm]

Another assasination of a public figure who is not Fred Phelps

Speaking of Fred Phelps, he's going to picket that 9 year old girl's funeral.

Wow that is actually true. You know I just wrote that comment out of the blue. And that is actually true. That man is amazing. Poor fucking family, what a nightmarish week.

[Tsyroc]

The Arizona Daily Star has this article on the 9 year old girl who was killed.

Born, died between 2 tragedies

With a birthday on 9/11, she was patriotic, interested in politics

Born, died between 2 tragedies

Stephanie Innes Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Sunday, January 9, 2011 12:00 am

Aspiring politician Christina-Taylor Green was born in the midst of tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001, and died Saturday morning while trying to meet Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The strong-willed 9-year-old third-grader had gone to meet Giffords with a neighbor when she was shot. She died later at University Medical Center.

Her neighbor was shot four times and was recovering from surgery Saturday evening.

Christina-Taylor had just been elected to the student council at Mesa Verde Elementary School and had been interested in politics from a young age, her father, John Green, said Saturday night.

"She was a good speaker. I could have easily seen her as a politician," her father said.

The brown-eyed athletic girl had one sibling, an 11-year-old brother named Dallas, and the two loved to go swimming together.

She'd already told her parents she wanted to attend Penn State one day and have a career that involved helping those less fortunate than her.

She also loved animals and was a passionate dancer who loved ballet, hip-hop, jazz and gymnastics and was the only girl on her Canyon del Oro Little League baseball team, "The Pirates." She played second base.

Christina-Taylor came from a family of baseball players. Her grandfather, former major-league pitcher Dallas Green, was team manager for the Philadelphia Phillies when they won the World Series in 1980.

"She kept up with everyone, she was a strong girl, a very good athlete and a strong swimmer," said her mother, Roxanna Green. "She was interested in everything. She got a guitar for Christmas so her next thing was learning to play guitar."

Christina-Taylor also enjoyed singing in a church choir at St. Odilia's Catholic Church, where she had received her first Holy Communion in the spring.

"'Let the children come to me,' Jesus said (Matthew 19:14). Christina is with Him," Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas wrote in a letter to parishioners sent from Jordan, where he is attending a bishops' meeting.

Already aware of inequalities in the world around her, Christina-Taylor often repeated the same phrase to her mother: "We are so blessed. We have the best life."

Her birth date no doubt helped inspire Christina-Taylor's interest in politics, Roxanna Green said. She was one of 50 9/11 babies featured in a book called "Faces of Hope."

"She was born back east and Sept. 11 affected everyone there, and Christina-Taylor was always very aware of it. She was very patriotic and wearing red, white and blue was really special to her," her mother said.

"She was all about helping people, and being involved. It's so tragic. She went to learn today and then someone with so much hatred in their heart took the lives of innocent people."

Contact reporter Stephanie Innes at sinnes@azstarnet.com or 573-4134.

[Kodiak]

Another assasination of a public figure who is not Fred Phelps

I know we all handle this in our own way, but wishing for a violent death to those you disagree with is in poor taste and dangerously close to violating board rules.

I'm interested to see if this nutjob will be making the nightly news circuit with interviews etc. Everything I've seen from his writings and videos screams "I'm just plain ol' crazy"

[The Yosemite Bear]

well he's definatly on the nut-case watch, and probably would want to be killed (scuicide by state, and martardom too boot)

fragging stupid...

[Broken]

I have to admit, the first thing that came to mind when I heard a Democratic congressman had been shot was that a Tea-Bagger finally went totally off the rails. Which brought to mind the DHS report a few months ago on the possibility of right-wing violence and how outraged the Right was that such a report was written. What little information (if any of it is even true/connected to the right person) we have now seems to indicate just a generally disturbed person instead of a particularly right-wing lunatic but its far too early to tell. Although with reports of a second man involved this barbaric tragedy may have been produced by whipping a mentally ill man into a frenzy and pointed him in the general direction of Congresswoman Giffords.

The interesting thing is that he is alive and in custody. Not too many political assassins get taken alive in modern times it seems, except for this guy and the religious nut who just gunned down the Pakistani official who opposed their retarded blasphemy laws. So perhaps we will get some real insight into what really happened and motivations here rather then the endless circle of speculation and "he was such a nice boy, quiet" that these rampages usually produce.

[FSTargetDrone]

Some quick-thinking by an intern may have made all the difference to Giffords:

1 hr 27 mins ago

Meet Daniel Hernandez, the intern who likely saved Gabrielle Giffords’ life

By Holly Bailey

Daniel Hernandez had only been Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' intern for five days, and on Saturday, he may have saved her life.

The University of Arizona junior was standing 30 feet away from the Democratic congresswoman when she was shot in the head at a meet-and-greet event in her district, and he immediately rushed to her side. As everyone on hand waited for emergency medical support to arrive, Hernandez held Giffords's head in his lap and applied pressure to her wound.

At the same time, Hernandez advised others on providing help for the other 20 others injured and killed in the attack—and that quick thinking has led many to label him a hero in Saturday's horrific event.

"When I heard gunshots, my first instinct was to head toward the congresswoman to make sure that she was okay," Hernandez said in an interview with ABC's Christine Amanpour Sunday. "Once I saw that she was down, and there were more than one victim, I went ahead and started doing the limited triage that I could with what I had."

Hernandez, who is 20, told ABC that he simply "shut off all emotion." "I knew I wouldn't be good to anyone if I had a breakdown," he recalled. He noted that he went to help because he had "limited experience in triage and training."

He lifted up Giffords' head, because he feared she might choke on her own blood, and used smocks from the grocery store's meat department as a makeshift bandages for her and other victims.

Giffords, he says, was alert, but couldn't talk.

"'Just grab my hand to let me know that you're okay,'" he recalls telling the injured lawmaker.

According to Hernandez, she squeezed his hand, and he didn't let go, riding with her in the ambulance to the hospital, where she was rushed into emergency surgery.

"It was probably not the best idea to run toward the gunshots," he told the Arizona Republic. "But people needed help."

[The Duchess of Zeon]

The bullet passed through the left side of the brain without coming in contact with the crossovers between the two sides, which is what can really destroy any chance of survival as more than a vegetable, so that's good. Better still, the doctors, though exquisitely cautious, suggested Giffords' eloquent centres--the parts of the brain generally most related to organized and advanced thought as a sapient human--were intact. If brain swelling doesn't kill her, she may be able to mostly recover. Doctor's a former US Army surgeon from Iraq and with the number of head injuries sustained there that's quite good.

2nd suspect is still being sought with no further information at this point, but then again if they did have some idea who he was they'd definitely want to keep quiet about it lest he try to run into the hills or something, assuming he hasn't already.