Alabama Cracks Down Harder On Illegal Immigration

Note to start with, the headline is very clear with the word "Illegal" when talking about Illegal aliens and immigration laws. If a reader doesn't understand the difference between immigrants here legally and those that have broken the laws of the country and entered illegally, many of which bringing children with them, then I would suggest a dictionary, not a blog post.

A couple stories about immigration laws have come to my attention today and how they cracked down on illegal aliens, those that abet them, hire them and house them. Now the Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has signed a new bill into law that will require public schools to verify citizenship status.

As with the the Arizona law now being fought in the courts with the Obama administration fighting against it, this Alabama law will also require police to detain someone they suspect of being in the country illegally if the person cannot produce proper documentation when stopped for any reason.

Furthermore, the law will allow the state to revoke or suspend a company's business license for employing someone that does not have legal status.

Recently in a 5-3 Supreme Court ruling it was reported that the Supreme Court backed the Legal Arizona Workers Act from 2007 which also allows the state to suspend or revoked the business license of company's hiring illegal aliens.

That was the Commerce v. Whiting case.

AmSpec reports the connection between that law and another Supreme Court case that has national implications for states cracking down on illegal immigration because the federal government refuses to enforce their own laws.

The case is called City of Hazleton v. Lozano.

Enter the Hazleton case. The city of Hazleton went farther than Arizona did. The city doesn't merely target business hiring; instead, it also suspends the rental licenses of landlords who knowingly and recklessly allow illegals to dwell in the landlords' property.

If one buys into the Left's spin, one would think that Whiting would have little bearing on Hazleton, because the ordinance in the latter is so much broader. Surely, according to this logic, the Supreme Court would reject Hazleton's law out of hand, just as the Third Circuit Court of Appeals had done last Sept. 9.

Think again. On Monday, the Supreme Court vacated the Third Circuit's decision against Hazleton's law, and remanded it back to the appeals court to reconsider specifically in light of the Whiting decision. In other words, Hazleton's law still stands against landlords who knowingly rent to immigrants, at least for now.

All these cases and laws have one specific commonality, they all deal with a state's right to protect itself from the reported 11.2 million illegal immigrants (as of March 2010) that have broken U.S. laws (yes that is a crime, making them criminals), especially with the federal government's inability or refusal to do so.

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Supreme Court Backs AZ Law Punishing Employers For Hiring Illegals

In a 5-3 Supreme Court ruling, the high court has backed the Legal Arizona Workers Act from 2007, a law which punishes employers that hire illegal aliens by taking away the business licenses of companies that knowingly them.

This is one of the laws that the Obama administration opposes and is fighting against, claiming the state law tramples on federal authority.

The Supreme Court disagreed and ruled against that argument.

"Arizona has taken the route least likely to cause tension with federal law," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. "It relies solely on the federal government's own determination of who is an unauthorized alien, and it requires Arizona employers to use the federal government's own system for checking employee status."

Roberts also said:

"Arizona went the extra mile in ensuring that its law tracks (the federal law's) provisions in all material aspects."

Those opposed to the Legal Arizona Workers Act claimed that federal law said states may not impose "civil or criminal sanctions" on employers, to which Roberts pointed out that another portion of that same law that opponents cited made clear that states were free to use their "licensing" laws to punish employers.

From the Ruling (Pages 5-6 of the 69 Page PDF)- Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting (09-115):

Federal immigration law expressly preempts “any State or local law imposing civil or criminal sanctions (other than through licensing and similar laws) upon those who employ . . . unauthorized aliens.” 8 U. S. C. §1324a(h)(2). A recently enacted Arizona statute—the Legal Arizona Workers Act—provides that the licenses of state employers that knowingly or intentionally employ unauthorized aliens may be, and in certain circumstances must be, suspended or revoked. The law also requires that all Arizona employers use a federal electronic verification system to confirm that the workers they employ are legally authorized workers. The question presented is whether federal immigration law preempts those provisions of Arizona law. Because we conclude that the State’s licensing provisions fall squarely within the federal statute’s savings clause and that the Arizona regulation does not otherwise conflict with federal law, we hold that the Arizona law is not preempted.

Score One For State Sovereignty- Hugh Hewitt

[Update] Arizona Governor Jan Brewer responds to the ruling (PDF):

Immigration Victory for Arizona as Supreme Court Upholds Employer Sanctions Law

“I could not be more gratified by today‟s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the legality of the Legal Arizona Workers Act and the principle of federalism, more generally. Despite the Obama Administration‟s opposition at the U.S. Supreme Court, Arizona and all states are now free to take down the „Help Wanted‟ sign for illegal aliens in their states. Arizona‟s employer sanctions law allows the vast majority of businesses that want to play by the rules to comply with federal and state laws against hiring illegal aliens, and seeks to punish those employers who take advantage of the federal government‟s immigration failures. One result of the Legal Arizona Workers Act: Arizona employers now lead the nation in the use of the federal E-Verify system for determining the legal status of new employees.

“Today‟s decision also acknowledges that federalism is alive and well. The Court validated this long-standing principle by noting that „a high threshold must be met if a state law is to be preempted for conflicting with the purposes of a federal Act.‟ Likewise, Judge Carlos Bea‟s dissent in Arizona‟s appeal on S.B. 1070 to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the intent of Congress was „to provide an important role for state officers in the enforcement of immigration laws …‟ While S.B. 1070 and the Legal Arizona Workers Act are obviously different laws, I am hopeful and optimistic that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear Arizona‟s future appeal of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals‟ decision against S.B. 1070 and apply the same general principle of federalism by rejecting claims of federal preemption. “In light of today‟s decision, I am more adamant than ever that states do have a complimentary role in enforcing federal immigration laws, despite the Obama Administration‟s opposition at every turn. I want to assure Arizonans, and all Americans, that the State of Arizona will not rest until the federal government secures our border and enforces federal immigration laws.”

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This Is BS- Giffords' Shooter Ruled Incompetent To Stand Trial

I call bullshit.

The man accused of wounding U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killing six is mentally incompetent to stand trial, a judge ruled Wednesday after U.S. Marshals dragged the man out of the courtroom because of an angry outburst.

People died that day. Lives were completely destroyed. Families are mourning and Jared Lee Loughner planned and executed his plan, making it premeditated and he throws a hissy in court, babbles to some shrinks incoherently and the judges rules him incompetent to stand trial?

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Shooting Victim, James Eric Fuller, Apologizes For Death Threat Citing 'Misplaced Outrage'

James Eric Fuller was involuntarily committed after losing it and making a death threat against Tea Party leader Trent Humphries at a town hall style meeting last Saturday.

CNN reports Fuller's apology:

Arizona shooting victim James Eric Fuller sent his apologies Monday for telling a Tea Party leader, "you are dead."

Dorothy DeRuyter, a companion of Fuller's, provided CNN with a statement.

"I would like to tender my sincerest apologies to Mr. (Trent) Humphries for my misplaced outrage on Saturday at the St. Odelia's town meeting," Fuller said in the statement. "It was not in the spirit of our allegiance and warm feelings to each other as citizens of our great country."

Fuller, 63, was involuntarily committed to a county mental health facility after he photographed Tucson Tea Party founder Humphries and said, "You are dead" when Humphries began speaking at the event.

Fuller "is apologetic and very sad" about his outburst, DeRuyter said. "He wishes he could go back and do things differently," she said.

Misplaced outrage. Makes me wonder where he thinks his outrage should be placed to begin with because it seems he has tried to blame everyone but the actual shooter, Jared Lee Loughner.

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Video- Sarah Palin Interview With Sean Hannity: Tucson Shootings And Blame Game

Below are three videos of Sean Hannity's interview of Sarah Palin in which Hannity drives the conversation toward the Tucson shootings and the immediate media/blog aftermath by the far left to somehow connect her and conservatives to the massacre.







Reactions came out fast and furiously from the media and blogosphere and continue to come out as I write this.

Those reactions across the blogosphere have been predictable especially from liberals who first dragged Palin into the conversation about the shootings which left six dead and 13 others injured, then the left criticized Palin for not responding, then they pissed and moaned when she did finally respond claiming she was trying to make this about her.

NewsFlash to the left- Before the bodies of those brutally murdered were removed from the crime scene, you and your brethhren on the far left already decided and wrote, in stereo, that is was all about Palin and the right, so your claims that Palin has inserted herself are dishonest and outright lies.

Once proof was brought forth from the media that the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, had no connection to the right or to Palin, then the backtracking began and you folks decided to try to claim Palin brought herself into the mix.

Pathetic and the internet never forgets, the timeline of your disgusting display of exploiting the tragedy here in Arizona simply to take a shot at the right and Palin, backfired and Americans (53 percent) saw it and know it.

One of the most clear and concise reactions to the Hannity interview with Palin was from Quin Hillyer, at AmSpec:

I continue to believe that Sarah Palin is not yet qualified to be president, but my admiration for her continues to grow. Her interview with Sean Hannity, just aired, was almost pitch-perfect. It was dignified. It was well-modulated. It was strong. And it was thoughtful. She kept her composure even as Hannity put on the screen some of the vilest, most vicious attacks against her -- the sorts of things that were so bad that if they were said about me they might shake me to my core. She explained her thought process after hearing about the shooting in Tucson, and explained the timing of her videotaped message, and explained her use of the term "blood libel." She insisted, rightly, that strong and honest -- but respectful -- political debate should not be stifled, and noted that it only seems like the right is asked to stifle its views. She was correct on all counts.

Then Hillyer offers a challenge to the far left which has done their best to demonize Palin:

The truth is, there is almost nothing this lady has ever done or said that merits the sorts of venomous vitriol to which she has been subjected. Her rhetoric is sharp but not hateful. Her views -- and even more, her actual record -- are mainstream conservative, not extremist. And her story of a plucky, self-made rise from unlikely (for a politician) origins, on the basis of hard work and gumption, is remarkably admirable. And, frankly, whom has she hurt along the way? The feelings of those who are appalled that she wouldn't abort her Downs Syndrome baby? The ideology of those who thought she should force her daughter to get an abortion? The corrupt old-boy network who plagued (and effectively robbed) Alaska, whom she defeated in fair-and-square elections? The self-important worldview of those who believe that women who aren't liberal are illegitimate political actors? Go ahead: Show where Sarah Palin has been mean-spirited, abusive, or hateful? Can't do it. She hasn't been.

Well said and there is more, so head over and read it in full.

More from The Hill, MediaIte, and CNN on the interview.

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Conflicting Reports On Loughner Change Of Venue For Trial

The Washington Post and The Politico have contradicting headlines with Wapo declaring "Federal authorities plan to move trial of Tucson shooting suspect," and The Politico's headline stating "Feds will seek Loughner trial in Arizona."

Wapo:

Federal court authorities are planning to move the trial of the alleged gunman in the Jan. 8 mass shooting in Tucson to San Diego because of extensive pretrial publicity in Arizona, federal law enforcement sources said Sunday night.

The Politico:

Federal prosecutors intend to move forward with the case against Tucson shooting suspect Jared Lee Loughner in Arizona, a Justice Department spokesman said Monday, knocking down a report in the Washington Post that suggested prosecutors were planning to take the case to San Diego to avoid the emotion stirred up in Arizona by the apparent assassination attempt on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.)

"The Department plans to bring the case in Arizona and will oppose any change of venue motions," Justice Department Director of Public Affairs Matt Miller said Monday.

Guess we wait and see if the feds can manage to screw this up.

Related:

Giffords's condition upgraded

Completely unrelated side note- How long before the liberal left bemoans the conditions that Jared Lee Loughner is being held under?

Loughner, who is charged with murder and attempted murder, is being held at the Federal Correctional Institution, a medium-security prison outside Phoenix.

For his own safety, officials said, he is being kept away from other prisoners and spends 23 hours a day alone in his cell. He gets about an hour a day to shower and exercise.

So far, nothing out of them even though when it comes to Bradley Manning, who leaked confidential information to Wikileaks endangering all of America, and is being held in the same type of solitary confinement, they call it inhumane torture.

5....4...3....2....1... birds chirping.

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AZ Shooting Victim Committed To Mental Health Facility After Making Death Threat

Definitely one of those WTF moments.

James Eric Fuller, one of the Arizona shooting victims from January 8, 2010 when Jared Lee Loughner shot 19 people and killed 6 of them, instantly became a poster boy for the far left when he publicly blamed Sarah Palin, John Boehner, Glenn Beck and others for Loughner going off the deep end.

Seems in the rush to declare a "victim" believed that, not many decided to find out anything more about Mr. Fuller.

Two things are clear from Saturday's ABC News town hall meeting in Tucson. One: Tucsonans are eager to move forward and recover from last week's horrible shooting rampage. And two: that process is going to be slow and painful. That latter point was driven home by the arrest of a shooting victim, who threatened a speaker during the taping of the program.

The reason he was arrested:

The theme of the event was "An American Conversation Continued" -- the idea being to continue the conversation that a madman's brutal rampage had interrupted. So it was inevitable that the conversation would eventually turn to politics. It did, toward the end, with Amanpour leading a discussion on a very touchy but obvious topic: gun control.

That's where the atmosphere turned tense. When Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries rose to suggest that any conversation about gun control should be put off until after the funerals for all the victims, witnesses say Fuller became agitated. Two told KGUN9 News that finally, Fuller took a picture of Humphries, and said, "You're dead."

When State Rep. Terri Proud (R-Tucson) rose to explain and clarify current and proposed gun legislation in the state, several people groaned or booed her. One of those booing, according to several witnesses, was Fuller. Witnesses sitting near Fuller told KGUN9 News that Fuller was making them feel very uncomfortable.

The event wrapped up a short time later. Deputies then escorted Fuller from the room. As he was being led off, Fuller shouted loudly to the room at large. Several witnesses said that what they thought they heard him shout was, "You're all whores!"

Fuller, age 63, is a political operative who specializes in gathering petitions for ballot initiatives. Before the program began, he passed out business cards to people sitting around him that read:
"Signatures
"Expediting Initiatives since 2006
"J. Eric Fuller
"Political Circulator."

Fuller has been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Office.

So, considering the left has been on a week long rampage that the American public has not bought into for the record, of blaming conservatives for Loughner's actions on Jan. 8, does this mean the far left blame themselves for inciting Fuller into issuing death threats?

Sadly ironic huh?

Fuller and Loughner are responsible for their own actions. Political rhetoric is not. The use of metaphors is not. The use of symbols is not.

The left do not seem to understand the comparisons nor the sad irony here.

More on Eric Fuller on his profile page for Hypnothoughts.com.

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Majority Of Americans Believe Left Attempted To Exploit AZ Tragedy To Make Right Look Bad

Quick post on Gallup who finally asked the appropriate question about what portion of Americans feel the far left and commentators that attempted to convince the public to think the right's rhetoric was somehow responsible was just using "the tragedy to make conservatives look bad."

In other words, the public saw right through the left's pathetic attempts to spin and connect the right with the act of Jared Lee Loughner when he shot and killed 6 people and injured 13 others.

The poll was conducted Jan. 11, three days after Jared Loughner allegedly shot and killed six people in Tucson, Ariz., and seriously injured numerous others including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Some of the early news coverage of the shootings discussed whether the increasingly inflammatory language used in political debate today could have motivated the shooter to attack the Democratic member of Congress. That theory was put forth by the sheriff of Pima County, Ariz., who argued that conservative thought leaders like Sarah Palin use language that may encourage their supporters to commit acts of violence against their opponents.

Most Americans reject that theory, with 53% agreeing that commentators who allege conservative rhetoric was responsible were mostly attempting to use the tragedy to make conservatives look bad. Roughly one in three, 35%, say the commentators were making a legitimate point about how dangerous the language used by conservatives can be.

Though Americans doubt that the language used in political debate was a motivating factor in the shootings, they are inclined to believe all major U.S. political groups are going too far in using inflammatory language to criticize their opponents. In fact, Americans are about equally likely to say Democrats (51%) and Republicans (53%) are guilty of this. A similar percentage also believe this applies to supporters of the Tea Party movement.

Americans watch and listen and make up their own minds no matter how often the left attempts to mislead them.

As a side note since the left's attempt included a very strong push to mislead the public and pin blame on Sarah Palin for Loughner's acts, once she responded, it seems the public views her as more "sincere" and "believable" after seeing her response to those far left liberals attempts.

Can you say... BACKFIRE?

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Peek Inside The Mind Of AZ Shooter Jared Lee Loughner

[Update] Video, via ABC news, posted below the post.

The LA Times, in response to a records request, has received and posted a video created by Arizona shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, who shot and killed 6 people, injured multiple others and left AZ Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in critical condition after being shot in the head.

The title of the video Loughner created is "Pima Community College School - Genocide/Scam - Free Education - Broken United States Constitution."

In the video, Loughner states, "The war that we are in right now is currently illegal under the Constitution"; "This is my genocide school. Where I'm going to be homeless because of this school"; "I haven't forgotten the teacher that gave me a B for freedom of speech"; "This is Pima Community College, one of the biggest scams in America"; "If the student is unable to locate the external universe, the student is unable to locate the internal universe"; and "Thank you.... This is Jared … from Pima College."

Within hours of seeing the video, college police officers arrived at Loughner's home and delivered a letter of immediate suspension to Loughner and his father, Randy, school police reports said.

The video was no longer on YouTube as of this week. It was unclear who deleted it, and exactly when it was taken off the website.

More rambling from the video has been included in another LA Times article:

"All right, so here's what we're doing. We're examining the torture of students," Loughner said as he began his narration of the video. He broke off when he appeared to recognize a man leaving a nearby building. "How's it going?" Loughner shouted. "Thanks for the B – I'm pissed off."

Breathing heavily and laughing softly as he walked up a dark set of stairs, Loughner said: "I lost my freedom of speech to that guy and … this is what happens. And I'm in a terrible place. This is the school that I go to. This is my genocide school, where I'm going to be homeless because of this school. I haven't forgot the teacher that gave me the B for freedom of speech."

The video, which prompted Loughner's suspension last fall, offered a window into the suspected gunman's frustrations and his anxiety about his future, three and half months before he was accused of opening fire outside a Safeway grocery store, killing six people and wounding 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

At one point, walking past the bookstore, he said: "They're controlling the grammar."

A few moments later, he lingered in front of the campus police office: "This is where the whole 'shaboozie' goes down with illegal activity," he said, his face briefly reflected in the glass of the station window.

Near the end of the video, while walking through a courtyard, he said, "All the teachers that you have are being paid illegally and have illegal authority over the Constitution of the United States under the 1st Amendment. This is genocide in America. Thank you. This is Jared from Pima College."

You can see the video at the LA Times site and if it becomes available online for embed it will be shown as an update at the bottom of this post.

Loughner posted the video on YouTube on September 23, which was the same day he was removed from his biology class for a disruptive outburst.

From the information that has been inundating the news outlets about Loughner, it paints a picture of a seriously dangerous individual to whom some refer to as possibly schizophrenic, but from the timeline of events the night before the shooting, up to the morning of and the shooting itself, this was a cold calculated premeditated murder of innocent men, women and children.

Meanwhile, law enforcement officials offered more details Friday into Loughner's last actions before the Jan. 8 shooting.

Authorities said they had photos that Loughner allegedly developed less than 10 hours before the rampage, depicting him holding a 9 mm Glock 19 pistol next to his nearly naked buttocks and crotch, a law enforcement official said. It is the same type of weapon that police say was used in the shooting.

A timeline released by the Pima County Sheriff's Department said Loughner dropped off the roll of film at a Walgreens at 11:35 p.m. on Jan. 7, then checked into a Motel 6 near Interstate 10 at 12:29 a.m. He picked up the developed photos at 2:19 a.m. At 4:12 a.m., according to the timeline, he posted on his MySpace page: "Goodbye friends."

After 7 a.m., Loughner headed to Super Wal-Mart in suburban Marana, where he bought ammunition and a black diaper bag.

At some point between 7:31 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., Loughner returned home and was confronted by his father. Loughner fled on foot from his house with the black bag, the timeline stated.

He was picked up by a cab at 9:41 a.m. at a Circle K convenience store, and arrived at the shopping center shortly before 9:54 a.m.

The shooting began at 10:10 a.m., the timeline said.

To date, not one article I have found points to Loughner showing any remorse whatsoever for the deaths and injuries he has caused others.

Video below:

Short advertisement shown before the video of ABC news report on this story with the video itself Loughner made

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Democrats Still Trying To Use AZ Shooting As Fodder

The Politico reports that Speaker of the House John Boehner presided over hours-long tribute on the House floor Wednesday to Giffords and the other shooting victims and attended a bipartisan prayer service afterward, while Barack Obama, his wife and others traveled to Arizona to attend the Memorial Service for the victims of the shooting in Tucson, Arizona.



Afterwards Boehner was scheduled to attend a reception on Wednesday night on behalf of Maria Cino, a former top House GOP aide who is seeking the Republican National Committee chairmanship. Boehner is backing Cino’s challenge to current RNC Chairman Michael Steele.

As a courtesy, Barack Obama extended an invitation to Boehner to travel on Air Force One to Arizona.

The Boehner staffers also insisted that, as speaker, Boehner’s place is on Capitol Hill, not in Tucson. They noted that Boehner had opened an hours-long tribute on the House floor Wednesday to Giffords and the other shooting victims and attended a bipartisan prayer service afterward. Because Air Force One left at 1 p.m., Boehner couldn’t have flown to Arizona and also attended the Capitol prayer service.

Far left Democratic political pundits and aides, not once missing the opportunity to try to use the tragic events that occurred in AZ last Saturday as political fodder, decided to try to use the optics of portraying Boehner as attending a party instead of the Memorial service in Tuscson.

I honestly don’t know what to say, when in a moment of national mourning the Speaker of the House chooses a Washington, D.C. fundraiser instead of attending the memorial in Tuscon, Arizona--- Taylor Marsh

I wonder what type of criticism Ms. Marsh would have had if Boehner has instead accepted the invitation to Tucson and not presided over the House's hours-long tribute on the House floor Wednesday to Giffords and the other shooting victims and if Boehner had also skipped the bipartisan prayer service afterward?

Boehner is now the Speaker of the House and it is his job to be there for the tribute scheduled in the House.

Even more disturbing is that House aides, not just political bloggers, are also trying to use the misleading optics:

“It is disrespectful for Speaker Boehner to skip joining the President’s and bipartisan congressional delegation to the Tucson Memorial so he could host a Washington D.C. cocktail party for RNC members,” said a Democratic leadership aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Notice neither of those examples even mention the bipartisan prayer service, nor the tribute on the House floor in their pathetic attempts to politicize the Arizona tragedy and attempts to claim Boehner chose a party over a Memorial?

As I said yesterday, the tragedy in Arizona last Saturday has brought out the best and the worst in people and political pundits across the nation.

[Update] Kudos where they are due and those are due to left leaning TPM for reporting the actual events instead of the meme the far left has been pushing:

Boehner Didn't Really Snub Obama, Tucson Memorial

House Speaker John Boehner is catching a lot of flak for missing last night's memorial service in Tucson, reportedly declining an Air Force One invitation from President Obama in order to slap backs and clink glasses at an RNC event.

But a look at the timeline of events paints Boehner in a better light.

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Obama's Good Speech at Memorial Service for the Victims of the Shooting in Tucson, Arizona

The White House site has posted the speech that Barack Obama gave at the Memorial Service for the Victims of the Shooting in Tucson, Arizona.

I listened to the speech as well as watching the Memorial.

Those who read this blog regularly know I am not a huge fan of Barack Obama nor his politics, but kudos where they are deserved, the speech was good and Obama delivered it wonderfully.

Pointing out the acts of heroism on the tragic day when Jared Lee Loughner took his gun and shot 19 people, killing six and leaving an Arizona Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, in critical condition after being shot in the head.

Quoting scripture and detailing the lives of the six people slaughtered that day.

It was a good speech and by virtue of reading it regardless of whether speech writers wrote it, it was Barack Obama's speech and in it he addressed a very controversial issue that has dominated the airwaves, media and blogosphere across the country.

Immediately after the shooting, pundits from the far left were irresponsibly accusing political rhetoric from the right as being to "blame" for Loughner's actions, without any evidence supporting that theory and to date, still no evidence has come to light supporting that stance.

The far left exploited the Arizona massacre for sheer political fodder and Obama's speech touched that point in a very mild but clear manner.

As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let’s use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy and remind ourselves of all the ways that our hopes and dreams are bound together. (Applause.)

[...]

The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better. To be better in our private lives, to be better friends and neighbors and coworkers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their death helps usher in more civility in our public discourse, let us remember it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy -- it did not -- but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to the challenges of our nation in a way that would make them proud. (Applause.)

Obama walked a fine line there between a president that needed to address the controversial issue in a manner respectful to the families and victims and a politician up for reelection in 2012 and he walked the line and did it well with this speech.

Obama also put the blame right where it belonged, on Loughner.

Facts that have come out about Loughner has shown a disturbed individual with a grudge against Gifford after another meet and greet in 2007 when he asked a question and her answer did not satisfy him.

Facts show 22 year old Loughner was a registered Independent who did not vote in the 2010 midterms. Troubled at school making outbursts and other students expressed fear of him. His reading material was varied but witness accounts say he did not watch the news, listen to talk radio or otherwise participate in political activism.

Obama's speech also allowed him to report previously unreported news. Gabrielle Gifford opened her eyes for the first time.

I have just come from the University Medical Center, just a mile from here, where our friend Gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak. And I want to tell you -- her husband Mark is here and he allows me to share this with you -- right after we went to visit, a few minutes after we left her room and some of her colleagues in Congress were in the room, Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. (Applause.) Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. (Applause.)

Gabby opened her eyes. Gabby opened her eyes, so I can tell you she knows we are here. She knows we love her. And she knows that we are rooting for her through what is undoubtedly going to be a difficult journey. We are there for her. (Applause.)

To that end, Top of the Ticket has posted the witness accounts of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who were both present at the time.

SENATOR GILLIBRAND ......And then you have to recognize, her eyes hadn’t opened -- we didn’t know that -- and so she started to struggle. And one of her eyes is covered with a bandage because it was damaged in the gunfire. So her eye is flickering. And Mark sees this and gets extremely excited. And we didn’t -- I didn’t know what that meant.

And so he said, Gabby, open your eyes, open your eyes. And he’s really urging her forward. And the doctor is like perking up and everyone is coming around the bed. And she’s struggling and she’s struggling and it’s a good -- we couldn’t figure it out, maybe 30 seconds, where she’s really trying to get her eyes open, like doing this, this, this.

And then she finally opens her eyes and you could she was like desperately trying to focus and it took enormous strength from her. And Mark could just -- can’t believe it. I mean, he’s so happy. And we’re crying because we’re witnessing something that we never imagined would happen in front of us.

And so Mark says, he says -- he said, Gabby, if you can see me, give us the thumbs up, give us the thumbs up. And so we’re waiting and we’re waiting and --

REPRESENTATIVE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: And she didn’t at first.

SENATOR GILLIBRAND: And we just thought, okay -- and you could watch -- when you’re watching her eyes, she’s really trying to focus. Like you could see she hadn’t opened her eyes in days. And then instead of giving the thumbs up, she literally raises her whole arm like this -- like this. It was unbelievable. And then she reaches out and starts grabbing Mark and is touching him and starts to nearly choke him -- she was clearly trying to hug him.

And so like -- she was -- it was such a moment. And we were just in tears of joy watching this and beyond ourselves, honestly. And then Mark said, you know, touch my ring, touch my ring. And she touches his ring and then she grabs his whole watch and wrist. And then the doctor was just so excited. He said, you don’t understand, this is amazing, what’s she’s doing right now, and beyond our greatest hopes.

The road to recovery will no doubt be long and arduous but there is also no doubt at this point that Giffords is fighting to recover and early signs are good, better than even doctors had hoped for.

Will there be civility in political discourse after this tragedy? No. There has never been true civility in politics and perhaps never will be when two sides with a massive gulf between their political ideology fight for the agenda they believe is best for America.

In Palin's video statement after the far left viciously attacked her and attempted to hold her responsible for a madman's actions, and idea that polling shows the majority of the American public has rejected, she made a statement that asks a question that has been ignored in attempts to use other parts of her speech against her. (Previous post with video and transcript at this URL)

There are those who claim political rhetoric is to blame for the despicable act of this deranged, apparently apolitical criminal. And they claim political debate has somehow gotten more heated just recently. But when was it less heated? Back in those “calm days” when political figures literally settled their differences with dueling pistols? In an ideal world all discourse would be civil and all disagreements cordial. But our Founding Fathers knew they weren’t designing a system for perfect men and women. If men and women were angels, there would be no need for government. Our Founders’ genius was to design a system that helped settle the inevitable conflicts caused by our imperfect passions in civil ways. So, we must condemn violence if our Republic is to endure.

Good question. When has political debate, especially during a contentious election not been heated?

Can anyone name one election year that has been completely civil?

It seems the two speeches mentioned, Obama's and Palin's, both individuals coming from opposite ends of the political spectrum, have found an area of total agreement.

Loughner shot down innocent people and he is to blame for his actions.

Metaphors did not kill those six people and injure those others. Guns do not pull their own triggers. Men and women are responsible for the acts of violence they commit.

Democrat, Republican or Independent, a criminal, a murderer who self identifies and any one of those, does not represent the party as a whole. Just as one deranged individual will never, ever represent our society as a whole, no matter what they do or what reason the claim they did it for.

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Sarah Palin Speaks Out About Journalists And Pundit's 'Reprehensible' Blood Libel In The Wake Of Arizona Shootings

Video below is of Sarah Palin's response to the tragedy of the Arizona shootings which left six dead and many more wounded, some in critical and/or serious condition and the "reprehensible" blood libel journalists and pundits engaged in immediately following the massacre.

Her response is to those that just hours after the shootings were already looking to cast blame on Palin and Tea Party members without one shred of proof (which still has not be produced) showing the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner was on any Tea Party email list or read anything Palin said or did.

The accusations flew fast and furiously from the far left, then reported by the media, without anyone, not even once showing any connection. Completely irresponsible behavior from pundits, but in my mind, ethical malpractice on the part of the media who is supposed to be held to a higher standard and report facts, not rhetorical hyperbole.

Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.

Sarah Palin's Facebook provides the transcript:

Like millions of Americans I learned of the tragic events in Arizona on Saturday, and my heart broke for the innocent victims. No words can fill the hole left by the death of an innocent, but we do mourn for the victims’ families as we express our sympathy.

I agree with the sentiments shared yesterday at the beautiful Catholic mass held in honor of the victims. The mass will hopefully help begin a healing process for the families touched by this tragedy and for our country.

Our exceptional nation, so vibrant with ideas and the passionate exchange and debate of ideas, is a light to the rest of the world. Congresswoman Giffords and her constituents were exercising their right to exchange ideas that day, to celebrate our Republic’s core values and peacefully assemble to petition our government. It’s inexcusable and incomprehensible why a single evil man took the lives of peaceful citizens that day.

There is a bittersweet irony that the strength of the American spirit shines brightest in times of tragedy. We saw that in Arizona. We saw the tenacity of those clinging to life, the compassion of those who kept the victims alive, and the heroism of those who overpowered a deranged gunman.

Like many, I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on what happened and praying for guidance. After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event.

President Reagan said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not with those who proudly voted in the last election.

The last election was all about taking responsibility for our country’s future. President Obama and I may not agree on everything, but I know he would join me in affirming the health of our democratic process. Two years ago his party was victorious. Last November, the other party won. In both elections the will of the American people was heard, and the peaceful transition of power proved yet again the enduring strength of our Republic.

Vigorous and spirited public debates during elections are among our most cherished traditions. And after the election, we shake hands and get back to work, and often both sides find common ground back in D.C. and elsewhere. If you don’t like a person’s vision for the country, you’re free to debate that vision. If you don’t like their ideas, you’re free to propose better ideas. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.

There are those who claim political rhetoric is to blame for the despicable act of this deranged, apparently apolitical criminal. And they claim political debate has somehow gotten more heated just recently. But when was it less heated? Back in those “calm days” when political figures literally settled their differences with dueling pistols? In an ideal world all discourse would be civil and all disagreements cordial. But our Founding Fathers knew they weren’t designing a system for perfect men and women. If men and women were angels, there would be no need for government. Our Founders’ genius was to design a system that helped settle the inevitable conflicts caused by our imperfect passions in civil ways. So, we must condemn violence if our Republic is to endure.

As I said while campaigning for others last March in Arizona during a very heated primary race, “We know violence isn’t the answer. When we ‘take up our arms’, we’re talking about our vote.” Yes, our debates are full of passion, but we settle our political differences respectfully at the ballot box – as we did just two months ago, and as our Republic enables us to do again in the next election, and the next. That’s who we are as Americans and how we were meant to be. Public discourse and debate isn’t a sign of crisis, but of our enduring strength. It is part of why America is exceptional.

No one should be deterred from speaking up and speaking out in peaceful dissent, and we certainly must not be deterred by those who embrace evil and call it good. And we will not be stopped from celebrating the greatness of our country and our foundational freedoms by those who mock its greatness by being intolerant of differing opinion and seeking to muzzle dissent with shrill cries of imagined insults.

Just days before she was shot, Congresswoman Giffords read the First Amendment on the floor of the House. It was a beautiful moment and more than simply “symbolic,” as some claim, to have the Constitution read by our Congress. I am confident she knew that reading our sacred charter of liberty was more than just “symbolic.” But less than a week after Congresswoman Giffords reaffirmed our protected freedoms, another member of Congress announced that he would propose a law that would criminalize speech he found offensive.

It is in the hour when our values are challenged that we must remain resolved to protect those values. Recall how the events of 9-11 challenged our values and we had to fight the tendency to trade our freedoms for perceived security. And so it is today.

Let us honor those precious lives cut short in Tucson by praying for them and their families and by cherishing their memories. Let us pray for the full recovery of the wounded. And let us pray for our country. In times like this we need God’s guidance and the peace He provides. We need strength to not let the random acts of a criminal turn us against ourselves, or weaken our solid foundation, or provide a pretext to stifle debate.

America must be stronger than the evil we saw displayed last week. We are better than the mindless finger-pointing we endured in the wake of the tragedy. We will come out of this stronger and more united in our desire to peacefully engage in the great debates of our time, to respectfully embrace our differences in a positive manner, and to unite in the knowledge that, though our ideas may be different, we must all strive for a better future for our country. May God bless America.

This was exactly the right response in the form of a video release.

She rightly spoke of the tragic events and the individual responsibility of Jared Lee Loughner in his actions first (without mentioning him by name).

She went on to take journalists and pundits to task over their irresponsible behavior and attacks correctly calling it blood libel.

Then she pointed out the irony of Gabrielle Gifford, Congresswoman from Arizona who is in critical condition after being shot in the head, reading aloud the first amendment of the Constitution on the House floor, just days before the Arizona massacre and the rhetoric from Democratic lawmakers (although she did not specify what political party in this response)after the shootings proposing to limit that very free speech.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Palin is not the first nor will she be the last calling the left out on the "blood libel" charge. Two days ago, Glenn Harlan Reynolds wrote a must-read piece called "The Arizona Tragedy and the Politics of Blood Libel."

I understand the desperation that Democrats must feel after taking a historic beating in the midterm elections and seeing the popularity of ObamaCare plummet while voters flee the party in droves. But those who purport to care about the health of our political community demonstrate precious little actual concern for America's political well-being when they seize on any pretext, however flimsy, to call their political opponents accomplices to murder.

Where is the decency in that?

The aftermath of the tragedy that occurred in Arizona has highlighted the good and bad that reside in America.

The Bad

It has highlighted how political pundits and the media will grab on to "reprehensible" story lines proving the expression "if it bleeds it leads". It has highlighted how politicians, elected officials and political pundits will use anything, even murder and mayhem to try to score political points. It has shown Americans that certain politicians will use a tragic massacre of innocent lives to further their political agenda. It has shown the irresponsibility of the media.

The Good

It has also shown the other side of the bad, the good.

It has shown that good people, bikers, Arizona citizens and concerned residents of America will stand up to the evil of the Westboro Baptist Church and place themselves as human barriers to protect the families of those that died on Saturday in the Arizona shootings from those that plan to protest at the youngest victim's (nine years old) funeral, by praising the murderer.

It has shown other politicians prepared to fight for our first and second amendment rights.

It has shown the left, the right and those right down the political middle praying together for the lives of those severely injured, holding vigils outside the hospital and standing together to condemn the actions of a madman.

It has shown that Americans watch, listen and are able to separate the political hyperbole and still understand that one man's actions do not reflect on society as a whole as a CBS poll showed clearly where 60 percent of Americans assert that political rhetoric is not to blame for the Arizona massacre that occurred last Saturday.

As Sarah Palin so succinctly phrased it, it has shown America's enduring strength.

[Update] Confirming the CBS poll's findings, Rasmussen also finds that 58 percent of Adults believe the Arizona shooting was an act of random violence by an unstable person and not related to politics.

In other words, as I said yesterday, the majority of Americans are not buying into the far left's spin about the Arizona shootings.

I would love to see a poll conducted on how Americans feel about those that attempted and failed to spin it and used the tragedy as political fodder.


Followup post: Palin has not retreated, she has reloaded- Yup, I said it!!

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Arizona Citizens And Bikers Prepare to Face Off Against Westboro

Westboro Baptist Church, the deranged folks led by Fred Phelps, are at it again, this time praising Jared Lee Loughner, the shooter from the Arizona massacre that killed six innocents and injured many more.

Phelps and his merry band of hate filled followers are planning to come to Arizona to protest outside of the youngest victim of Saturday's shooting, nine year old Christina Green's funeral.

Arizona citizens and bikers from all around are planning on placing themselves as human buffers to keep Phelps and crew from disrupting little Christina's funeral with their God Hates Fags signs.

Fox News:

Disgusted Arizona residents are locking arms to stop the Westboro Baptist Church from disrupting the funerals for victims of Saturday's shooting in Tucson, with bikers and others organizing a massive counter-protest and state lawmakers fast-tracking a bill to hamstring the so-called church.

The Kansas-based Westboro church is notorious for showing up at the funerals of dead soldiers and other high-profile gatherings wielding inflammatory anti-gay signs.

But when the church announced it would picket the funeral Thursday for the 9-year-old girl fatally shot over the weekend by a gunman at a Tucson grocery story who killed five others and injured 14 attending a town-hall session by Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Tucson- and Phoenix-area residents started organizing immediately.

Arizona legislators are acting fast as well to pass a bill which would forbid Phelps and his followers from coming within 300 feet of the funeral attendees, according to CNN.

In addition to the expected legislation, some Tucson residents are planning an "angel action" -- with 8-by-10-foot "angel wings" worn by participants to shield mourners from picketers. Angel actions were created by Coloradan Romaine Patterson, who was shocked to find the Topeka church and its neon signs outside the 1999 funeral of Matthew Shepherd, a young gay man beaten and left on a fence to die in Laramie, Wyoming.

"We want to surround them, in a non-violent way, to say that our community is united," Gilmer said. "We're a peaceful haven."

Bikers unite:

Littell has notified the Pima County Sheriff's Department and has reached out to several other biker groups notifying them of their planned presence at Green's funeral. He crossed his fingers that the Hells Angels would join them.

"Nothing says stand back and be silent like a Hells Angels presence," he said.

Littell added that if the church moves on to picket other funerals, his riders will follow.

"We're getting word there's gonna be a pretty large presence of bikers," he said. "Word's spreading. And spreading quickly."

If you are an Arizona resident and wish to help protect the families, below is the information needed:

Christina Green Memorial Service Information


As an Arizona resident let me say, Westboro is not welcome here.

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Majority Of Americans Not Buying Into Far Left Spin About Arizona Shootings

Immediately after the tragic massacre where a 22 year old Jared Lee Loughner (Mug shot to the left) shot anywhere from 13 to 19 people (conflicting reports) people, killed six and left others, including the Congresswomen from AZ Gabrielle Giffords, in critical and serious condition, far left Democrats started pointing fingers and casting blame on rhetoric and imagery from the political right to assign blame for Loughner's actions.

A CBS News' poll shows the majority of Americans have not bought into that spin and 57 percent, almost one in six Americans believe the political rhetoric from both sides is not to blame for the Arizona massacre.

Overall, 57 percent of respondents said the harsh political tone had nothing to do with the shooting, compared to 32 percent who felt it did. Republicans were more likely to feel the two were unrelated - 69 percent said rhetoric was not to blame; 19 percent said it played a part. Democrats were more split on the issue - 49 percent saw no connection; 42 percent said there was.

Independents more closely reflected the overall breakdown - 56 percent said rhetoric had nothing to do with the attack; 33 percent felt it did.

As more news comes out about the shooter, it appears Loughner was angry, also described as obsessed, for years at Gabrielle Giffords after attending an event and asking a question he felt she did not answer to his satisfaction. He also appeared to be angry at the government for years as well. Stories from people that new him describe a disruptive individual.


Related:

David Brooks points out there were some on the far left that did not try to use the shooting as political fodder and tried to inject reason into the issue, and they are worth mentioning.

These accusations — that political actors contributed to the murder of 6 people, including a 9-year-old girl — are extremely grave. They were made despite the fact that there was, and is, no evidence that Loughner was part of these movements or a consumer of their literature. They were made despite the fact that the link between political rhetoric and actual violence is extremely murky. They were vicious charges made by people who claimed to be criticizing viciousness.

Yet such is the state of things. We have a news media that is psychologically ill informed but politically inflamed, so it naturally leans toward political explanations. We have a news media with a strong distaste for Sarah Palin and the Tea Party movement, and this seemed like a golden opportunity to tarnish them. We have a segmented news media, so there is nobody in most newsrooms to stand apart from the prevailing assumptions. We have a news media market in which the rewards go to anybody who can stroke the audience’s pleasure buttons.

I have no love for Sarah Palin, and I like to think I’m committed to civil discourse. But the political opportunism occasioned by this tragedy has ranged from the completely irrelevant to the shamelessly irresponsible.

The good news is that there were a few skeptics, even during the height of the mania: Howard Kurtz of The Daily Beast, James Fallows of The Atlantic and Jonathan Chait of The New Republic. The other good news is that the mainstream media usually recovers from its hysterias and tries belatedly to get the story right.

Loughner's initial court appearance resulted in being remanded without bail as Judge Lawrence Anderson stated he was a danger to the community.

Loughner's next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 24

More on that at ABC News.

"Shouldn't happen in this country or anywhere else, but in a free society we are going to be subjected to people like this so, I prefer this to the alternative."-- John Green, father of Christina Green, the nine year old victim of the massacre in Arizona

It is natural and human to want to explain and find someone to blame when tragedy occurs but it seems that Americans by and large understand the blame should be cast on the perpetrator of such a horrible act and not recklessly cast upon those that had nothing to do with it.

(Corrections have been made to this post to reflect conflicting reports)

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VIDEO- Nine Year Old Victim's Father Speaks About The Price Of Living In A "Free Society'

"Shouldn't happen in this country or anywhere else, but in a free society we are going to be subjected to people like this so, I prefer this to the alternative."-- John Green, father of Christina Green, the nine year old victim of the massacre in Arizona

H/T HotAir@Twitter with a link to the Hot Air site, which showed the video below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The interview with John Green, father Christina Green, the nine year old victim of the massacre in Arizona, who died from a gunshot wound to the back which came out the chest, starts at approximately the three minute mark in the video.

Heartbreaking.

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They Asked For It, They Got It. The Hatred And Hypocrisy From The Left, Displayed

I was waiting for this and after reading some of the idiocy being spouted from the far left liberal media and blogosphere it didn't take long for conservatives to buck up and say, wait just one damn minute you hypocrites.

Quick Background:

A tragic massacre in Arizona where a Federal Judge, a nine year old child and four other people were murdered. 19 people were injured in total and a congresswoman from Arizona, Gabrielle Giffords, is in critical condition, fighting for her life after being shot in the head.

Immediately, despite evidence to the contrary, the far left started attacking the right, claiming the shooter was encouraged by political rhetoric to take a gun into his hands and go on a murder spree. The left using the murders and mayhem as political fodder, and even using the tragedy as a fundraising event, ignoring evidence which showed the shooter was damaged mentally and held hatred for politicians from the left and the right.

Jump forward to Michelle Malkin who obviously has had enough.

The Tuscon massacre ghouls who are now trying to criminalize conservatism have forced our hand.

They need to be reminded. You need to be reminded.

Confront them. Don’t be cowed into silence.

And don’t let the media whitewash the sins of the hypocritical Left in their naked attempt to suppress the law-abiding, constitutionally-protected, peaceful, vigorous political speech of the Right.

They want to play tu quo que in the middle of a national tragedy? They asked for it. They got it.

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The progressive climate of hate: A comprehensive illustrated primer in 8 parts:

I. PALIN HATE
II. BUSH HATE
III. MISC. TEA PARTY/GOP/ANTI-TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE HATE
IV. ANTI-CONSERVATIVE FEMALE HATE
V. LEFT-WING MOB HATE — campus, anti-war radicals, ACORN, eco-extremists, & unions
VI. OPEN-BORDERS HATE
VII. ANTI-MILITARY HATE
VIII. HATE: CRIMES — the ever-growing Unhinged Mugshot Collection

There is no way to convey exactly what Malkin has compiled and do it justice, so you just have to click on over and look for yourself.

People in glass houses should not throw stones.

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