Congresswoman shot.

[PearlWatson]

Millsapa: You're aware that the post I made was reporting on the sentiment I was hearing out of talking to people in Phoenix right? I had about 5 people mention that to me in AZ that morning and thought it was a wrinkle worth commenting on. That report reflected the conversation at the time, as reflected by the statements made by the sheriff shortly thereafter.

In fact, a facebook status from this morning that I posted linked to exactly the same Dem targeting map and stated:

"It is true that Republicans do not have a monopoly on using targets on maps for political purposes.

Distinctions to be drawn: Internal strategy vs. public call to action, crosshairs vs. bullseye, differences in traditional views on firearms between parties and whatnot, but bad taste all around."

In any event there has to be a reason why this particular politician was targeted vs. any other and I don't think it's unreasonable to apply a default rebuttable presumption that when someone targets a politician for a murder attempt they are doing so for political purposes. If the issue was merely one of ease of access that seems to cut against him simply being totally crazy.

I guess since the killer didn't pull out his bow and arrow, he couldn't have have been influenced by the Daily Kos bullseye against a "Blue Dog" Democrat who just voted against Pelosi.

On the scale of bad taste, I think the liberal media trying to pin these killings on Sarah Palin for her "public call to action" map ranks higher than the targets.

Of course it was politically motivated but to blame it on anyone or any group other than the killer himself is just "nigh insufferable."

 

[Duck Rodgers]

All I mean is that people who just devour the conspiracy theory literature and act like its their god-given duty to enlighten the masses are just far too obsessed with what they're into and must be lacking in the 'life' department. I don't think I was disagreeing with anything you were saying. Our thoughts can coexist.

The problem with your ridiculous assumption and categorizing is that huge swaths of people believe them to be truth. Look at any polls on 9/11 or the Kennedy assassination. You're better off assuming the people are more like you, rather than smoking pot aboard the Death Star.

And lets be real here, there aren't that many conspiracy theories out there, so I really don't think it's a slippery slope. It really doesn't take a Jedi Mind trick to differentiate between conspiracy theories. They all have their different qualifications. It's intellectually lazy to just write them off.

 

[Duck Rodgers]

But, but... I've read 'Contact', and that was written by one of the greatest astrophysicist's to ever live. Clearly, if I read it in a book, it's truth.

Trout, how the hell did you ever find Mormonism? You seem to be more the L. Ron Hubbard Scientology type.

BTW, you're only allowed to believe in Orson Scott Card. I hear he has a direct conduit to God. Plus, he is extremely good looking.

 

[Sneakers]

I guess some people are just genuinely interested in the pursuit of truth. I guess I can't hate on that.

There's just something kind of ironic about conspiracy theorists being sure of themselves.

 

[The Pearl]

The problem with your ridiculous assumption and categorizing is that huge swaths of people believe them to be truth. Look at any polls on 9/11 or the Kennedy assassination. You're better off assuming the people are more like you, rather than smoking pot aboard the Death Star.

And lets be real here, there aren't that many conspiracy theories out there, so I really don't think it's a slippery slope. It really doesn't take a Jedi Mind trick to differentiate between conspiracy theories. They all have their different qualifications. It's intellectually lazy to just write them off.

You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but what conspiracy theories do you believe and why?

 

[TroutBum]

Trout, how the hell did you ever find Mormonism? You seem to be more the L. Ron Hubbard Scientology type.

BTW, you're only allowed to believe in Orson Scott Card. I hear he has a direct conduit to God. Plus, he is extremely good looking.

It found me, dog.

L. Ron's stuff is highly entertaining -- if you've never given it a go, I would suggest you read some of it.

 

[Gameface]

It found me, dog.

L. Ron's stuff is highly entertaining -- if you've never given it a go, I would suggest you read some of it.

His science fiction or his non-fiction religious work?...

 

[Gameface]

The problem with your ridiculous assumption and categorizing is that huge swaths of people believe them to be truth. Look at any polls on 9/11 or the Kennedy assassination. You're better off assuming the people are more like you, rather than smoking pot aboard the Death Star.

And lets be real here, there aren't that many conspiracy theories out there, so I really don't think it's a slippery slope. It really doesn't take a Jedi Mind trick to differentiate between conspiracy theories. They all have their different qualifications. It's intellectually lazy to just write them off.

I'll admit I basically write off conspiracy theories. Anything that would take more than 6 people to pull off, and that if discovered would change the way "common folks" see the world is just too risky, in my opinion. Anyone involved would have much more to gain individually by exposing the conspiracy then by trying to keep it secret.

 

[Duck Rodgers]

You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but what conspiracy theories do you believe and why?

I'll tackle this one more in-depth tomorrow. I'm getting my *** kicked on the Asian markets right now, so I don't think my piecemeal breakdown going back and forth through screens would be very solid right now.

Though in general:

9/11
Kennedy
Bolsheviks ran by US government
World Government(and that's the one that requires the most explaining because it sort of encompasses a lot).

Those are the ones I focus in on because I think they are the most important.

 

[LogGrad98]

Really not sure how this thread ended up here...

Anyway, if you ignore the terrible travesty of a movie that Travolta tried to pull off, Battlefield Earth was a great read. Hella long book but reads fast as the pace and action never stop. Smartly written too with great creativity.

 

[sirkickyass]

I guess since the killer didn't pull out his bow and arrow, he couldn't have have been influenced by the Daily Kos bullseye against a "Blue Dog" Democrat who just voted against Pelosi.

Just as an aside, I've seen her described as a "blue dog" several places and I don't think it's that clear she's a conservative Dem. She voted for the health care bill, she's pretty left-leaning on immigration (which is THE issue in Arizona), she's very strongly pro-choice, gets horrible scores from gun groups, criticizes No Child Left Behind and supports traditional public schooling, voted for bailouts, and she doesn't score as a centrist on a fair number of margins.

Near as I can tell the basis for calling her a "blue dog" is that she's a member of the blue dog caucus. She's also a member of the New Democrat Coalition. Why is she uniformly described as a Blue Dog but not a New Democrat? Given her voting record I don't think it's a stretch to call her a BDINO. She's certainly not one of those people like Ben Nelson who were publicly hemming and hawing over every little thing for the last two years. All I'm saying is that when I think of Blue Dogs in the House I'm thinking of guys like Jim Cooper, not Gabby Giffords.

 

[moevillini]

Really not sure how this thread ended up here...

Anyway, if you ignore the terrible travesty of a movie that Travolta tried to pull off, Battlefield Earth was a great read. Hella long book but reads fast as the pace and action never stop. Smartly written too with great creativity.

Really not sure how this POST ended up here!

Wrong thread perhaps? Or part of a conspiracy?