I am extremely saddened, as well as appalled at the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a member of the Jewish community, as well as an elected Democratic representative. My heart goes out to the families of the shooting victims. My prayers go out to those who lost loved ones, and to those who were wounded in this senseless political violence.
I am very disturbed at the extremist politics of a now divided America. As an amateur historian, the Republican right-wing extremists remind me of what happened in Germany prior to World War II. As Hitler blamed all of Germany’s problems on the Jewish people, Republican radicals (and there are way too many of them) are now blaming Democrats for all of America’s problems. All Democrats are now the new “Jews” to be persecuted by extreme right-wing Republicans, such as Sarah Palin and her ilk. People like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are not any different than the Nazi propagandist, Joseph Goebbels, who spewed his hatred on the radio, and turned the German people to persecute Jews. They are but only two of these propagandists who are dividing America into two camps, as we have not been divided since the American Civil War.
Do these people not realize the damage that they are doing to their own country with their hatred, their innuendos, and their outright lies? The shooter in this case was just one more sociopath influenced by the hatred being spewed by Republican extremism.
We cannot stand as a country and allow this extremism to go unchecked. Sarah Palin sends her prayers to the victims of this shooting, but at the same time she has “targeted” your district!
A few months ago, I attended a local Tea Party gathering near my home in Charlotte, N.C. I was curious as to their stand on restoring American values. The main speaker at this gathering was a man who wanted all at this gathering to come to his shooting range near Fort Bragg, N.C., and learn to shoot firearms that they “may need” to “take America back!” As a former military policeman, I was appalled at this attitude! After learning marksmanship, who were these Tea Partiers going to shoot? All Democrats? All moderate Independents, like myself? Or everyone who disagreed with them?
We must all come together as Americans. Our country is in dire need of true leadership. We cannot continue to divide ourselves over political matters.
We must “Stand as One” to solve America’s problems.
Take care my friends,
Ken Lonewolf / Shawnee Native American
Charlotte, N.C.
