Words can be bad.

Of course we don’t have all the facts yet about the recent mass murder in Arizona, and blaming it on political hate speech by anyone is, at this point, irresponsible. Which is why I was so heartened to see Matt Bai of the New York times point out this potential irresponsibility, before indulging in an irresponsible orgy of his own:

It wasn’t clear Saturday whether the alleged shooter in Tucson was motivated by any real political philosophy or by voices in his head, or perhaps by both. But it’s hard not to think he was at least partly influenced by a debate that often seems to conflate philosophical disagreement with some kind of political Armageddon.

The problem here doesn’t lie with the activists like most of those who populate the Tea Parties, ordinary citizens who are doing what citizens are supposed to do — engaging in a conversation about the direction of the country. Rather, the problem would seem to rest with the political leaders who pander to the margins of the margins, employing whatever words seem likely to win them contributions or TV time, with little regard for the consequences.

Consider the comments of Sharron Angle, the Tea Party favorite who ran against Harry Reid for Senate in Nevada last year. She talked about “domestic enemies” in the Congress and said, “I hope we’re not getting to Second Amendment remedies.” Then there’s Rick Barber, a Republican who lost his primary in a Congressional race in Alabama, but not before airing an ad in which someone dressed as George Washington listens to an attack on the Obama agenda and gravely proclaims, “Gather your armies.”

Since Mr. Bai has chosen to go down this irresponsible road, I’ll follow him, if only to ensure a thorough, and equally thoughtful exploration of political hate speech by prominent politicians who pander to the margins of the margins. Though, of course, I’ll be exploring the left side of the road:

Category: Politics