I wouldn't be surprised if this event were politically motivated, but from what it appears, this guy in general was anti-government. However, I can't say I'm not concerned when there was that image of "targeted" representatives who voted for Healthcare Reform or whatever. Whether or not that was an influence, I do not know, and won't go as far to say whether or not it was. It does concern me, though, and presents itself as a potential factor in the shootings.
Well, I can tell you that Derek is right. I should know my own beliefs better than anyone else, and I do not want to see those people dead. If they were killed, it would only make them a martyr for their cause. The best thing to do with assholes like that is just ignore them. Don't give them the attention that they desire. That's what I want to see happen to them. I want to see them ignored by mainstream America and made irrelevant.
Going back to the topic on hand, she's still hanging on and able to communicate. The bullet grazed the left side of her brain instead of going right through which would've surely been fatal: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/09/arizona-shooting-news_n_806397.html She got lucky, and by lucky I mean....a few inches over and she would've been dead likely immediately.
Well, if not dead, she would have been in at least a vegetative state. And actually, they're not even sure at this point how it will be, but considering she's responsive (not vocally, though), she can hopefully make as much of a full recovery as possible. At this point they're keeping here in an induced coma. They removed part of her skull so that the brain has room to swell up. I'm no medical expert but I'm sure whatever the doctors are doing at this point is working to keep her alive and help her recover. That's what's important.
You can't prove or disprove anything God-related, or prove that something is justified/unjustified. Those are personal beliefs and not facts
It is a fact whether he exists or not. Something doesn't have to be provable for it to not be a matter of opinion. Reality doesn't stop at our epistemological limits.
Even when you can't say something is 100% objective, and even if you are religious, you can probably think your reasoning through more than "just because God says so".
No, it is a fact that God exists TO YOU (I assume since you said "he") no matter how much you cannot really prove that there is a god. You would have your "justifiable" reasons to believe in God. Atheist would say that they have "justifiable" reasons to NOT believe you if you told them that God exists. It's really not black and white. It's very personal. If Jesus Christ were punched in the face, he would not retaliate no matter how many people would say that it would be justifiable. If one were a follower of Christ, there's a great possibility that retaliation would be unjustifiable to them. What reality is happens to differ from person to person. Knowing that, anyone can call anything logical, good, bad, or whatever.
Thank you for the update. And holy hell that is amazing that she is alive. This is SO off topic. But you are misunderstanding what he is saying You can have beliefs that differ between people, and each can justify them as appropriately. But hee is talking about truths. God either does or does not exist. We all live in the same universe. If god exists in the universe for one person, He exists for all people in the same universe, regardless of what they believe. So you are talking about apples. He is talking about oranges. So lets just save this for a different discussion then. (otherwise, i'd go farther, but im just gonna leave it at "you're wrong").
We do have a God thread. Believe it or not, a majority of the politicians in the US are highly religious and believe He does exist therefore introducing laws like No Abortions and No Homosexual Marriages because God said otherwise to what other people might think. God exists in politics. That's all they care about and not what the rest of the population thinks of God. And I'm with Kathy.
Since when did this become a conversation about God? Back on-topic, please. And play nice. Thank you.
And what I was meant to say also, is that this news even made it to the ABC News last night and I do hope she does improve.
So it's all but proven this was politically motivated: http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/assassination-charge-arizona-shooter-planned-ahead-3995511 In his house they found notes with the words "I planned ahead" as well as a thank you note from Giffords for attending a similar event about two years ago. So not only was this pre-planned, but it was in the works for a long time. The problem is figuring out why he wanted her dead, which is something we might have to wait on...but this was definitely politically motivated. Oh and this too: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...-aggravated-by-previous-meeting-with-giffords
http://twitter.com/#!/LauraDawnMoveOn/status/23850193094967297 http://obamalondon.blogspot.com/2011/01/inexplicable-edits-on-sarah-palins.html Stay classy, Palin.
I think the real tragedy in this case is that a nine year-old girl was killed in the midst of it all. Political motive or not, this girl didn't deserve to die. No one did. That said, it's worrying how much support that bitch Palin is getting. But that's niether here nor there in this discussion imo.
I hate the fact a little girl died, that breaks my heart. So young, and so ambitious. It just aint right .
Derek, why are you intent on labeling this as politically motivated? The guy is mentally unstable. Any opinions he has on politics, or anything else for that matter, holds absolutely no weight as a motivating factor due to the fact that he is not in his right mind. Quoted from the first article you posted: According to his classmates, his grip on reality seems to have come undone in the past year. He was asked to leave his community college in Tucson and was asked by campus police not to return because of several outbursts until he received clearance from a mental health counsellor, but he never did that. Instead, he went to a sporting goods store in November and got the 9mm Glock handgun that authorities say he used in the mass shooting yesterday.