Last week Sarah Palin released a seven-and-a-half minute video. Rather than respectfully taking the opportunity to offer brief and sincere compassion for the victims of the tragedy unleashed in Tucson, Palin took the low road. Denunciating critics, Palin sought to absolve herself of any responsibility for any possible influence her oft-heated rhetoric might have had over Jared L. Lougher prior to his attempted assassination of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, murder of six bystanders, and wounding of 13 others. Palin stated that any rush to blame her for the violent acts of one individual in purported conjunction with her supposedly fierce political rhetoric was an example of a media-issued “blood libel.” Such word choice continues to showcase Palin’s distinct lack of historical understanding and a disregard for clear misuse of language.
Seated before her stone fireplace – an American flag draped in the corner – she recounted the tragic events and cast her sympathy on the victims and their families. After about 30 seconds, her tone changed and I couldn’t help but feel as though I was beginning to watch something along the lines of an extended campaign ad. Thus began the list of “exceptional” American values that Palin holds dear, namely: freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. She refers to Lougher as an “evil man” and a “deranged gunman,” though it has not been determined whether Lougher’s actions were premeditated and or whether he is psychologically insane.
She expressed concern over how people are making “irresponsible statements” by casting blame for this devastating tragedy on her rhetoric. She quoted President Reagan and his sentiment that each American individual is responsible for his or her actions. Aligning herself with conservative America’s favorite former president’s position, she displayed herself as the passive victim in this blame game,.
“Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own,” said Palin. “They begin and end with the criminals who commit them.”
The video should have ended at one minute, but Palin wanted it to be known that just because she had a website with cross hairs over swing districts – including Gifford’s – it was her constitutional right to do so. She then, unfortunately, continued her exercise of said right.
“Journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood-libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence that they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.”
For those of you unfamiliar with the term “blood-libel” here’s a quick history lesson. “Blood-libel” originated as a phrase coined in Medieval Europe as a deliberately false accusation that Jews would kill Christian children, and use their blood to make ceremonial Matzoh bread. This hateful and despicable charge was used to rationalize brutal violence and incite anti-Semitism against Jews during the Middle-Ages. The term is associated with a very specific and painful part of Jewish history. In trying to explain away the accusations that have been directed at her behavior’s irresponsible statements, she committed herself to one of the most irresponsible metaphors uttered in recent memory.
As to whether her use of the term has any correlation to Congresswoman Gifford’s Jewish affiliation – I find it merely coincidental – though it certainly doesn’t help Palin’s case. Her words will undoubtedly cause certain groups of Jews and Americans to call her anti-Semetic. As a Jewish American, I do not feel personally victimized by her words. I do not think Palin was inciting hatred or expressing contempt towards Jews. Rather, her words demonstrate a poor tact, adding self-interested insult to those who suffered on January, 8. The focus of the argument shouldn’t be on how Jews world-wide are responding to it, but rather on a more disconcerting issue: In the aftermath of the Tuscon shooting, why would Sarah Palin even take a victimized stance?
Most shocking about her statements was that they were a six minute defense of her own political rhetoric.
“When we say ‘take up our arms,’ we’re talking about our vote.”
You can think what you’d like about Palin and her political agenda, but I think everyone can agree that words matter. If Palin is so quick to say that individuals stand alone for their crimes, shouldn’t they also be held accountable for their words?
Palin had even much to say about “foundational freedoms,” “peaceful dissent,” “civil discourse,” and the Constitution as a “sacred charter of liberty.” She reiterated the importance of these American values, and how 9/11 is a constant reminder. Five-and-a-half minutes into the video, I’m no longer watching a memorial for those who were viciously murdered, but a checklist of all the things that Sarah Palin thinks are important and the values that she feels she represents – stunningly inappropriate. It was insulting to those affected by this tragic event and it was certainly not the time or place for her to take such a political stance,
“In times like these we need God’s guidance and the peace He provides …We are better than the mindless finger-pointing we endured in the wake of the tragedy.
In times like these, perhaps prayer will provide some solace for certain individuals, but as far as overcoming mindless violence, my faith dwindles.
Emily Felder is a Collegian columnist. She can be reached at [email protected].
Delbert Hourigan • Apr 6, 2011 at 1:22 pm
The safety training courses that are required by many States in the United States are set up for a very good reason. Whenever an environmental catastrophe occurs such as the BP Gulf Oil Spill of 2010 that is still ongoing and releasing toxic crude-oil into the once pristine Gulf Coast waters is a good example of the need for not only a Federal Response Team but also adequately safety trained state and local representation.
Captain Fantastic • Jan 28, 2011 at 5:24 pm
It’s a shame that so many of you missed the point of this article in rushing to defend Palin.
The columnist is not saying anything political. She is not saying anything about party or ideology, she is not attacking right wing pundits and supporters or defending the national media. She has merely taken Palin’s own words and actions, contextualized them, and declared Palin’s statements to be those of someone who suffers either from a deep misunderstanding of history, an inability to recognize that this situation was not and should never have been about her, a weak grasp of language and propriety, or a deeply disturbing mixture of the three.
At a time of suffering, as a community and a nation sought to place a bandage over senseless massacre and partisan vitriol, Sarah Palin’s narcissism shown through all the clearer. Her response was poorly worded and sought to defend a line of political ideology and behavior that may or may not have had some small role in the Tucson shooting — though this is unlikely, unknowable, and (as President Obama rightly pointed out) ultimately not the point. There is evil in the world, and though we seek to quantify and qualify it, often times there is no clear answer for the question, which is: why?
Palin’s performance ignored this, instead defending herself when focus should have entirely on cauterizing a national wound. In that respect, she failed.
That is what the columnist is saying, so spare us all the political jabs in response to what was an a-political column.
pete • Jan 26, 2011 at 5:27 pm
Palin couldn’t run a laundry mat and would probably have trouble assembling a frisbee..you betcha!
Kris • Jan 26, 2011 at 3:05 pm
First of all, I’m a guy. I appreciate the gender loyalty comments. I am a conservative, I did vote for John McCain, but I don’t like Sarah Palin (nor do I watch Fox News). That being said, it is still entirely unfair to liken her to a Nazi. And to say “Sarah Palin and W. Bush are dumb! Haha!”, well who is the puppet now? Want to talk about rich and powerful? How about Keith Olbermann, epitome of a liberal mouthpiece. That’s the sort of individual who perpetuates the idea that Palin and Bush are idiots and then quits because his 7 figure salary isn’t good enough. I’m not rich and powerful, I’m just an engineering student who works 40 hours a week and is a cut above the average left wing UMass Amherst student who is dumb enough to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a worthless degree. I appreciate the personal attack though!
born B4 the bomb • Jan 24, 2011 at 5:33 am
Kudos to Kris! At least she recognized…..mid stream…..that THE AUTHOR (Emily) is a columnist…..and that’s what columnists do. As columnists go, I thought Emily was more than FAIR & BALANCED….LOL So, without making this too personal, I think we can conclude that Kris is a cut above the average right wing lemming. Maybe Kris feels some gender loyalty or has other reasons to defend Sarah Palin. If that is the case then maybe we should all think about this:
Hilery Clinton, like her or hate her, is smart! Sarah Palin, like her or hate her, is not smart! Bill Clinton & Barack Obama, race and zipper control issues aside, are smart. G.W. Bush is not smart!There is a dangerous pattern to that….a common denominator. Of course, if you are only a puppet or mouth piece for the rich and powerful you don’t need to be smart..you just need to repeat the mantra and the lies…….over and over and over.
readingcomprehension • Jan 23, 2011 at 7:55 pm
You have to read closer. Just because by gleaming through this article you can deduce that the author does not like Sarah Palin, and therefore is probably left-leaning, does not mean you can make a host of other assumptions about her beliefs.
The AUTHOR never said Palin was responsible for the murders in Tuscon, nor is she siding with the media sources that claimed that that was a possibility. The point being made here is that Palin should not have made a public speech about the Tuscon shootings where the majority of it was spent talking about herself (and particularly, where she tries to take blame away from her).
I think Sarah Palin is a joke. I think the accusations that the “crosshairs” thing caused the Tuscon shootings is equally laughable. I also agree with the author that it makes you look really self-centered when you write a speech about a tragedy that spends most of its time talking about how it isn’t your fault. So what if it isn’t your fault? If it isn’t your fault, then you need not say any more than that. If she needed to make another speech about the Tuscon shootings, she should have focused on what lessons we can learn from it as a nation, rather than trying to absolve herself for 7 minutes. What a laughably terrible candidate.
LarryLinn • Jan 23, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Josh Marshall nailed it with what I think is the quote of the day…”Today has been set aside to honor the victims of the Tucson massacre. And Sarah Palin has apparently decided she’s one of them. “
born B4 the bomb • Jan 22, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Well I guess Palin owns what she says and what she writes…i.e.”her opinions”, just as we own what we write here…i.e. “our opinions”!
My opinion is: if she doesn’t self distruct soon, the Republicans will find a way to despense with two birds (how PC was that) and by that I mean they will make her go away and make it appear that “mean spirited” Dems….did it.
She is a cartoon! The power brokers can’t afford her…..AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
Kris • Jan 22, 2011 at 3:27 pm
I’d like to amend my previous comment. It did not occur to me that this was in the op/ed section as it appeared on the home page of the collegian. However, while it is opinion based, I still maintain that it is poorly thought out and furthermore it’s disappointing to see it placed front and center on the Collegian web site.
Kris • Jan 22, 2011 at 3:23 pm
I’d like to start by saying that this ‘article’ is not journalism, it’s an opinion based piece . And a poorly thought out one at that. Some lunatic in Arizona took a gun and started shooting at people. So what happened next? The media pointed a finger at Sarah Palin. Why? Because they will do it at any given opportunity. (Look up her remarks on ‘partying like it’s 1773.) So Palin came out and defended herself. Good for her. Now a wannabe CNN lackey comes up with an excuse to call her a Nazi. Way to go!
Bobbie • Jan 22, 2011 at 12:42 pm
no one has to TRY to destroy Sarah Palin, she does it well enough herself.
born B4 the bomb • Jan 22, 2011 at 9:27 am
AS I said earlier…the Republicans will get rid of Palin….it has already begun and you won’t be able to make it stick to them…I promise!
Worry about these issues: “THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY” I grew up in the 40s and 50s and if I could remember I would tell you or you can share with me when Health Care became an industry? It is an industry because of GREED….tort laws….greedy insurance providers, drug companies, and hospital administrators who want to imitate their political colleagues on the right who make 450 times the salery and bonus they did post WWII. Maybe the rest of us should insist that they call us CUSTOMERS not patients! I’m sorry to say that the democrats who once stood for labor now don’t even stant up to GREED. I don’t know what the left stands for but I know too well what the right stands for: They stand against unions and collective bargaining and practice collusion and favor brown nosing. They preach merit and practice patronage on an unimaginable scale. They represent the interests of the rich and the big corperations who are such PATRIOTS that they export jobs because they won’t pay fair wages and don’t want to answer to OSHA….This country was never stronger that it was between 1945 & 1967 and that was because Union Companies and good Non-Union Companies who kept pace because they didn’t want the union…. manufactured things and their high paid workers had taxes deducted and did not employ the loop holes enjoyed by the rich. Those workers were the tax base of this country. The right SO FAR has had its’ cake. They b*tch about taxes that they rarely pay…..and they are even more rich than they were when there was a strong middle class. AND now gas prices are going up and who does that favor? The RICH can afford to wait this out and lable Obama and the Dems responsible for what JR and friends caused. NO more lies! Don’t tell us OPEC or arabs……..think who among our own camp is up to their eyeballs in oil and can make things happen with oil? The right is out to roll back the middle class! For them the “GOOD OLD DAYS” are Harding, Coolige and Hoover….and labor can greet them “hat in hand” or stand in line for soup!
A Real Maverick • Jan 21, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Sarah Palin is a political candidate that I truly worry about. The fact that anyone can be excited about the rogue hockey mom going to tackle big Washington is a sick joke. This isn’t “legally Sarah Palin”, this is reality. The reality is that media sources (interviews, personal footage, etc) speak for themselves. In some, they paint a picture of a dogmatic Christian ushering soldiers to bring glory to God, while in most others, an inarticulate and ignorant woman. Must I remind everyone that this is the SAME woman that questioned the validity and benefits of fruit fly research? Really? I mean REALLY? This is someone that you want to run your country? Please do society a favor, if you support Sarah Palin, play hide and seek on your favorite state roadway and be done with it.
born B4 the bomb • Jan 21, 2011 at 6:41 am
I think you saw and heard what I did, I have no idea what these “ditto heads” saw nor do I understand why they think the term is a compliment. Limbaugh mocks his own base. Palin, like G.W. Bush, is attractive to these “right wing nuts” because they can relate to them. They hate Obama, not because he’s black (well maybe because he’s black too) or because they have been told to think he is a socialist…..but because he is smart. We only know Palin’s name because some wiz kid thought that many of the voters who were dissapointed because Hilary wasn’t running, would be stupid enough to vote for Palin because she had the same plumbing. The Democrats have nothing to fear from Palin….I’m pretty sure they hope she wins the Republican nomination. SO….whatch how the right wing “power brokers” play this one ditto heads! The right will clean up this mess and make sure you can’t blame them . Republicans will get rid of Palin and blame the Dems for it….who says you cant have your cake and eat it too?
Jill • Jan 21, 2011 at 6:30 am
Typical liberal media taking shots at Sarah. Are you really that scared of the woman???? She was the one victimized in the media and had every right to speak up on her defense. I think she handled it well and thank God we have people like her who are willing to stand up for our constitutional rights before the left destroys what makes this country great.
chancefavors • Jan 21, 2011 at 6:19 am
I enjoyed reading this article. Truer words were never spoken. Emily Felder, THANK YOU!
Carlton West • Jan 21, 2011 at 5:07 am
Gov. Sarah Palin’s response to unwarranted calumny & slander was proper & appropriate. Her premise that the Left want to criminalize political dissent is entirely correct. She walks tall, stands on firm foundation of principle.
Emma • Jan 21, 2011 at 4:28 am
Well said! Palin was intensionally misleading by saying Lougher was left leaning. She says journalists and pundits jumped before knowing the facts. The facts are that she placed crosshairs over Giffords district and backed up the sentiment with the “don’t retreat, reload” comment. She did that and she needs to own up to it. Of course that isn’t saying she forced the gun into his hand and pulled trigger, but it is absolutely possible that he was influenced by her rhetoric. He was online and frequented sites promoting some of the far right’s agenda. He lived in a town highly charged politically and he was present enough to plan his actions and track Giffords. Stating as proof that Palin had nothing to do with this because he saved a letter from Gifford sine 2007 is ridiculous. Palin may not have set Lougher’s attentions on Gifford but may well have added to a climate that pushed him over the edge. I’d even say it may be just the opposite. Why now after 3 years? Why did he finally snap? This is such a painful situation that I would hope everyone would be impacted and that the negative campaigning would ease up. But this is Palin’s schtick, the right love her for the mean girl attitude towards the left and the left are appalled at her total lack of propriety. With a continued lack of substance, a kinder and gentler Palin would drop like a rock from the headlines. She has no choice but to deny, defend, and carry on as before. Very sad.
theghostwriter • Jan 21, 2011 at 3:35 am
There’s a reason why everyone looked at Palin immediately after the Tucson shooting. Rep. Giffords herself had commented on Palin’s crosshairs/surveyor’s symbols/back to crosshairs.
(nothing ever gave me a more twisted, perverse joy than watching the rightards come out of the woodwork to suddenly claim that Palin had used “surveyor’s symbols” after reading that assertion from a Palin spokesperson, only to have Palin herself admit shortly thereafter that they were indeed CROSSHAIRS).
And this “the left does it too” thing isn’t flying, because the AMOUNT and FREQUENCY of violent rhetoric is like 90% from the right and 10% from the left, and everyone knows it. But keep on spinning and spinning and spinning until you get dizzy and fall down and throw up from the sheer velocity of keeping up with all of the bulls*** that spews from this woman’s mouth.
And please, Sarah: RUN FOR PRESIDENT. Because I rally want to see Obama get a second term.
theghostwriter • Jan 21, 2011 at 3:29 am
“I think they are trying to destroy Sarah Palin because they are afraid of her winning in 2012.”
Nothing could be further from the truth. We would LOVE to see Palin run. It would make her an even bigger joke than she is now. Run, Sarah, Run!
theghostwriter • Jan 21, 2011 at 3:06 am
You Palin apologists are too much. Just so you know: no one is buying what you’re selling. Palin’s approval numbers are at their lowest point ever, and they are never going back up. She is a national punchline, and so are any of the fools who cast their lot with this self-absorbed media wh0re. Her books are on the cut list, her “reality” show -where she killed a defenseless animal to “entertain” dolts like you- has just been cancelled, she tried to make the tragedy in Tucson all about her, and just to put the cheery on top: it looks like Todd’s been cheating on her AGAIN.
I don’t wish misery on anyone, but man oh man is she ever asking for it. She delights in her own cleverness, in her snarky and stupid insults of everything that offends her supposed “firmly held beliefs,” and riles up anti-intellectual dopes around the country for her personal aggrandizement.
Yes, I would fear a Palin presidency, just as I would fear any redneck idiot with a barely-out-of-high-school education who thinks they can “see Russia” from the United States. This woman is a sham and a liar, and she is getting the scorn and ridicule that shams and liars deserve.
Trust me, though: she will not be president. She will likely never hold public office again. She is ballot-box poison, and it’s all of her own making. Frankly, I would LOVE to see her run, but she won’t. And if she does, she will make a fool of herself.
People are tired of the right’s games, and the tide is turning. We’ve tried it your way for far too long, and you idiots have left this country in a shambles. People don;t want to hand the keys to the hillbillies anymore. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. Turns out the “guy you’d rather have a beer with” belongs in a BAR, not in the White House.
So take your coded violence and racism back to your shacks and get back to beating up your wives and watching NASCAR; it’s time for the grownups who WENT TO COLLEGE to clean up your mess.
Truth • Jan 21, 2011 at 12:55 am
Actually accusing Palin of taking the low road is itself taking the low road. When the tragedy occurred she did indeed sent condolences and showed compassion. Then left it at that. But liberal media and politicians hoping to score political points off the tragedy to discredit her and others started claiming the shooter was inspired by Palin’s map (hypocritically ignoring their side used it, too) and gun rhetoric (also hypocritically ignoring their side used that as well). They did so before the facts came out about the shooter and even the facts came out that refute their accusations of complicity in murder they continued to character assassinate Palin and ridicule her for not responding to their allegations. Then when she responded they then have the nerve and dishonesty to say she made it about her not the victims and put herself in the story where she did not belong. Quite frankly that is hypocrisy 101. She did not put herself in the story. Her enemies dragged her into the story to defame her and made it about her not the victims. They devoted tons of articles to making unfounded accusations to discredit her and not much on the victims. So their claim of outrage that she made it about her and not the victims is fake, as well as their call for civility while at the same time doing smear jobs after smear jobs. They are the ones who exploited a tragedy showing that their claim to compassion for the victims is fake as well. Don’t tell me if folks do that to you accusing you unjustly of inspiring a mass murder when you know you are innocent you were not be enrage and feel need to defend yourself. Palin had every right to defend herself and did nothing wrong.
adyar • Jan 21, 2011 at 12:44 am
“Seated before her stone fireplace – an American flag draped in the corner”
Sarah Palin ‘THE Patriot” gets her flag etiquette wrong
http://www.newshounds.us/2011/01/13/sarah_palin_gets_her_flag_etiquette_wrong.php
willegge • Jan 21, 2011 at 12:37 am
Most shocking to me is that you or any other writer or media outlet would connect Sara Palin’s congressional district maps or any of her election rally speak with a mass murder. You are the people that are inciting hatred intentionally against this good women toward a good and decent person. This is just a phony cover to try and destroy Sarah Palin. This will back fire on the crazy left and Obama . Truth will win out. God will see to it.
Angela Akins • Jan 20, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Thank you so much for writting this and explaining the facts exactly as they are! You did an amazing job of showing the situation in its true light and showing Palin for what she truelly is. I am now a huge fan of yours! A million thanks for truth…for spreading truth!
manonthestreet • Jan 20, 2011 at 11:05 pm
This is a mindless article written by an yellow journalist who wants you to vote for who they want.
You listen to Sarah Palin’s 7 1/2 minute video and decide if you can relate her video to this article.
The journalist fails to tell you that The Dems and Media use the same cross hairs in politics.IN FACT A SHORT TIME AGO CNN PUT CROSS HAIRS ON SARAH PALIN.
NO,I think they are trying to destroy Sarah Palin because they are afraid of her winning in 2012.