Steve Scalise shooting: 'Political rhetorical terrorism' contributed to attack, rep says

Are you going to ignore the right wing media that pushed hate rhetoric and conspiracy against Dems the last 8 years. The baseless charges that were investigated and determined unfounded. Waste of taxpayers money on constant witch hunts. Mass demonstrations by Tea Party that didn't draw out anti-protesters from the left yet demonstrators today are met with alt-right anti-protesters. The threats to the First Family, the images of lynching, the images of him as a monkey; oh and there was a Shakespeare play where Obama was Caesar. Conservative celebrities mocking and a few openly threatening Obama at concerts and rallies (i.e. Ted Nugent). How many times did intruders jump the WH fence under Obama when compared to Bush? Right wing politicians publicly denouncing their president and spreading conspiracy on social media the last 8 years.
Don't misunderstand this, I'm not saying that behavior the last 8 years give the left wing radicals the right to do the same. But I'm calling you out on your hypocrisy.

Hypocracy? Strong word from someone who doesn't know me kerosene....
Doesn't matter anyway. Here's what I know. "Hate" is also a very strong word. Dissagreeing with the policies of a political office holder is not "hate rhetoric" as I would define the term. In my own experience, that type of accusation has generally been the default response I've gotten from almost every single non-conservative I've attempted to engage or debate a policy issue with. Epithets such as hater, racist, extremist, fascist, nazi, homophobe, islamophobe, zenophobe, etc. atenothing new to me. I've had all of the typical acussations thrown at me over the years. Here's a short list:
--- "You're a racist!"
--- "You hate obama because he's black!" ( That one's real winner just because it totally disregards Obama's 'white' anscestry simply because of skin pigmentation... How racist is that?... lol)
--- You just hate her because she's a woman and you're scared!"
--- "You just want anyone who doesn't look or act like you to die!"
--- "All you 'Tea Baggers' oughta be shot!"
--- I bet you think all you 'white honkey" MFR's' oughta still own slaves too!"
--- "You just want you grandma to eat dog food or die!"

I've got countless more that are even more colorful. The thing is, I've never heard conservatives talk like that at all...
Actually, I regularly access multiple media outlets; news channels, papers, magazines, internet, etc... I like getting various viewpoints. By 'right wing media', I can only speculate you're referring to the Fox News Channel and the personalities there. Obama sure did love calling Sean Hannity's name out there a lot. And if course, anyone who doesn't subscribe to a socialist point of view is tossed into HRC's 'basket of deplorables' as if those who aren't in lock step behind her are somehow less than human. Or maybe it was only the women who accused her husband of sexual deviancy or rape who deserve that title; especially the one to whom they had to pay damages to or the one he lied about under oath which caused Jim to become the second U.S. President in the history of our nation to actually be impeached. (The other was NOT Richard Nixon despite what HRC told s recent university graduate class) I have honestly not seen any person on your 'right wing media' stating that people are going to be forced to live, starve or die in the streets, or be forced to choose between food and medicine. I have not heard any personality on Fox News accuse Dems of wanting to 'push grannies if of cliffs and I've never seen any conservative or republican campaign add partrayong such an outrage. Can't say the same for Dems though.
I don't know of any criminal investigations of Obama that took place and never heard anyone but a sad small fraction of lunatics accuse him of racism, hatred, treason, etc... And I damn sure never heard of any sane individual advocating his murder or hoping for his death. Those are individuals I would steer far clear; obvious loons who desperately need professional psych assistance...
Any true conservative who bears the courage of his/her convictions would absolutely cringe in horror at an image of any American being lynched and would find zero humor and an American President being portrayed as a monkey, a nazi, or any other type of vile filth. The same cannot be said for Dems, who have routinely portrayed republicans as monsters, hitler, the grim reaper, and even Satan. I remember one instance where an total media uproar exploded simply because a certain store stocked its shelves once with 'Obama' Halloween masks. That lasted for about three days until the accusations of racism and bigotry forced them to remove the offending 'racist' items... One thing I would be interested to learn is exactly how long the purported 'Obama as Caesar' play ran for and where it was held. This is actually the very first I've heard of it, if it existed...
Something I do know is that Tea Party rallies were NOT 'mass demonstrations' held to draw out "anti-protesters".(I attended a few) They were peaceful event that began to occur in 2009 for conservative unhappy with both major political parties in power to voice our opinions about things taking place. Special emphasis was placed on insuring that people of ALL backgrounds and ethnicities were very welcome to attend regardless of their circumstances and that's the way it was. It wasn't until the leftist media organization arrived and purposefully sought out those they thought could be used to portray TEA party groups as a crowd of illiterate,racist, idiots and violent extremists that we were labeled as such. TEA party supporters did not start even one verbal or physical confrontation with anyone and not even one TEA party supporter was ever arrested or charged with a crime at those events. In fact, every single TEA party event location I attended was dutifully cleared of all litter and trash when it was over and nothing was ever left out of place at those places. Some were left Even cleaner than they'd been before we got there. The only arrests I witnessed were in cases where TEA party supporters were deliberately accosted by those who were, in my opinion, there specifically to cause such a confrontation, especially if leftist media cameras were recording. I will honestly assert that every TEA party even I attended was an enjoyable one and we even changed the opinions of some who didn't support our views.
This whole "alt-right"
Thing is, in my opinion, the fabrication of leftist individuals and groups who are purposefully trying to portray anyone who is not liberal/socialist as some sort of racist, violent mob hell bent on the utter destruction and ruination if anyone not like them. The term 'alt-right' was never even heard prior to the 2016 election and it was coined by none other than socialists and liberal Dems hoping the term would stick to Donald Trump and help HRC get the coronation they had all wanted so badly. In my opinion, HEC and her husband made a deal with Obama back in 2008 that would back him then and in 2012 if he appointed her as Sec/State and backed her in 2016. Even at that time, and especially in 2012, every leftist media outlet and even FNC (FNC has been been gutted and reduced to nothing more than a RINO establishment mouthpiece, in my opinion) already had her coronation in the bag and they were all damned sure they were going to do whatever it took to make that happen. The establishment RINO's had nobody worth a damn to run against her and the Dems had already made insured that she would have the dem nomination handed to her on a platter before the primaries even geared up. Sanders was a fluke. He ran a hell of a campaign against her but the deck was stacked and he never had a real shot.
Which 'conservative' celebrities, I wonder, have mocked or threatened Obama? That's a serious question. If questioning the political views or policies of an elected official is 'mocking or threatening' that official, in guilty as charged... Ted Nugent is, and always has been an advocate of firearms ownership and 2nd Ammendment protection of gun owner's rights. He is outspoken and sometimes crude but I have never heard him threaten bodily harm to, or the murder of a political official. But, I don't know the man personally and I could be wrong.
Regarding 'right wing' public officials denouncing Obama personally or spreading 'conspiracy', there is a small fraction of those who have taken that up, the 'birth cert' thing for example.... but even so, they have been largely ignored about that and they did not spend taxpayer funds on it. Those monies were donated by private parties with an agenda. Some, admittedly, don't believe Obama is a natural born American but the vast majority of Americans font even give it a thought.
Regarding 'witch hunts', ironic that it was HRC, who was investigated...lol, it is a documented fact that U.S. policy was violated concerning the handling, dissemination, and securement of classified information under her watch, and that of Obama. It's not even a question that I, or any other member of the armed forces would have been arrested, charged, court marshaled, and sentenced to Leavenworth penitentiary for for committing a mere fraction of the infractions HRC was proven to have committed with her having an illegal, unsecured server in her residence on which she stored and transmitted classified government information, conducting official U.S. government business on private, unsecured communications devices i.e. her numerous blackberries which she later had destroyed by her lackeys, lybig to officials about the existence of such devices, destroying and deleting emails AFTER receiving a preservation order regarding email communications and even having the illegal server purged with 'bleachbit', thereby making impossible to retrieve any possible evidence... then later having her husband meet the chief law enforcement officer in the nation (Loretta Lynch) on her official state owned aircraft to "talk about golfing and grandchildren" only three days before the now ex-FBI director laid out a perfect case for federal indictment at a nationwide press conference and then says the whole in estimation is closed because there was no 'intent'.... in other words, what he was saying was "Yes, she violated federal law, but she really didn't mean to, so we're not going to pursue anything else." Yep that's a witch hunts all right....lol

Now today, and since the election cycle we have had political officials urging graduating college students to 'resist' this president at commencement speeches.(Nancy Pelosi)
Former VP candidates advocating violently protesting 'in the streets' (Tim Caine)
Celebrities spouting about wanting to 'blow up the white house', (Madonna) and posing with the decapitated, bloody head of the president. (Kathy Griffin)
Congressional members stating, even before the inauguration that "Donald Trump is not my president. We are going to lead him right into impeachment." (Maxine Waters) Tweeting a message reading, "Trump to Earth...Fuck You!" (Michael Moore)
Other officials asserting that Americans are going to starve, die in the streets from lack of medical care or no medical care at all because of Donald Trump. Accusing Trump of being a fascist, Hitler, a killer, Putin's slave, a dictator, criminal mastermind, greedy capitalist, traitor, racist, mesogenist, islamophobe, bigot, Satan, zenophobe, murderer, eco-terrorist, and the lust goes on and on and on.
So, when someone actually listens to what those people say and goes out hunting specifically republican congressional members and attempts to commit mass murder of those republican officials, should it not be speculated that this was a predictable occurrence? If that is the case, should those individuals who spewed vile vile filth and hatred of on man or one political party not be called out on there bullshit? I think they should. I, for one, am not willing to be cowed or dictated to by any faction of political officials or any group with whom I disagree politically simply based on that disagreement.
Granted, lunatics did scale the White House fence on two occasions while Obama held the presidency.
Adam Lanza did go into an elementary school and murder innocent women and children, after murdering his own mother! Jarrod Loughner did go to a political rally in front of a store and attempt to murder Gabrielle Giffords. These were, quite literally, very insane individuals who had extremely critical mental illnesses. Not one of them was politically motivated... Not one... Every single one was perpetrated by a certifiable lunatic who belonged in an asylum, not by a politically driven shithead who went out and deliberately targeted a group of political officials simply because of party affiliation. The messages of pure unadulterated hatred and violence sent out by leftist, socialists, and even Marxists in this nation are the root cause of what happened yesterday morning and I'll not be convinced otherwise. The filth and vile obscenities I've heard launched by leftist/socialist political officials, celebrities, media personalities, individuals and groups,at this President, conservatives, Christians, patriots, and anyone else not holding leftist views is like I have never witnessed in my lifetime and I am sickened by it all.
Truth be told; I did not vote for Obama and I would never have voted for HRC, not even on my worst day; not because I hate either of them, but because I am in total disagreement with them from a political standpoint. That being said, I still NEVER speak of, suggest, or advocate any type of violence against them or any other American with whom I disagree. Likewise, I would never support or defend any individual or group that would go into a rally or gathering with the express intention to disrupt or cause chaos by any means or for any reason. That is NOT how I was taught Americans should behave.
Those racist groups who deliberately riot, loot, pillage, burn, and destroy private/public property and inflict harms and death upon others, (yes I'm talking about any group, including BLM, KKK, and any other) should be hounded and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible for their crimes. They should NOT ever be encouraged, funded, or supported in any fashion, be it financially, logistically, promotionally, or in any other way. Protest? Sure, by all means! Go do it and I'll defend their American right to do it all day long. That being said, I believe that a protest is only a protest until the first object is thrown.... the instant that happens, it's no longer a legitimate protest and should be put down as the riot it has just morphed into, period.
Now I would add, "Don't misunderstand this" I placed responsibility for both major political parties and their suppporters for this bullshit we have seen; the blame goes to all of those who have supported, encouraged, and advocated the hatred, violence, lawlessness, and chaos we're all witnessing today... be they Dem, GOP, extremists, left/right radical; it doesn't matter to me. I think one group promotes and advocates while the other has become too cowardly, corrupt, and fearful to confront evil in any form.... so the cycle continues...
But, what do I know? I'm just a hypocrite, right?

SSG Ronald Bloodworth - LOL! Didn't bother reading past the first paragraph. Yeah I pointed out your hypocrisy in ignoring the hate messaging and conspiracy news of right wing media for 8 years. Also find it funny that you consider hypocrisy is equitable to being called a racist, sexist, a tea bagger or white honkey. Sorry to disappoint you but challenging your comment as being hypocritical is not the same as if I was to call you a "Trumptard racist naïve Igmo". But let me share another bit of hypocrisy that I bet Rand Paul is regretting ever tweeting a while back. Political hypocrisy doesn't make you stupid but it can make you foolish. And I considered your original post foolish.

Didn't read past the first paragraph? I actually read the entire post, several times, in fact, as I referred back it it on multiple occasion in my attempt to be thorough and cover every point made. At this time, I feel compelled to apologize for my lack of of specificity in of the points I made. I suppose I should have only supported my opinion with a single tweet posted a while back by one with whom I disagree. Regarding said tweet, by the way, while I don't agree with Rand Paul on some of his more controversial ideas, I am of the opinion that he was right on point with that one... as specifically written, the 2nd Ammendment reads : "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."
Nothing added and nothing taken away... are we to understand that the those who represented the states during the ratification of the supreme law of our land did not have exactly that possibility or eventuality in mind as they insisted on inclusion of this Ammendment as one condition of their signing? Especially as this nation had only recently endured a war of independence from tyranny? Given the behavior and actions of tyrants and tyrannical regimes throughout world history, I propose that insuring the American people had a means of defending themselves again tyranny and tyrants was precisely what they had in mind. I also see where Rand Paul was assessing anyone other than Judge Andrew Napolitano. He most certainly wasn't standing before an audience of graduating college students and encouraging to "take it to the streets as Tim Cain did, or telling them they all need to go out and "resist Trump and republicans" as Pelosi did. Rand Paul was commenting on a constitutional point of fact along with a well know constitutional scholar, (Andrew Napolitano),; not telling people to go out and shoot at the government as you seem to have inplied.
I don't believe there was any hypocracy in my pointing out my disagreement with any person or group who would advocate or encourage violence against fellow Americans regardless of political affiliation, as a means of settling disputes. My quoting dem/socialist political officials and groups who have done exactly that does not illustrate hypocracy. I simply stated that I have not heard conservatives advocate or encourage violent behavior. That statement does not state that I have ignored "right wing hatred"; only that I have not encountered such vile filth from conservatives as I have with leftists, socialists....
On another point, I do not, and did not equate being called hipocrytical with being called anything else at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure I mentioned the word once at the beginning of my post, then moved on to other points, only to mention it once more at the end. Furthermore, the hateful epithets I referred to later in my post had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the word, "hypocracy", but that aspect was apparently missed somewhere. I think the assumption that I didn't bother reading past a certain point, or that I would become fixed on a single word is completely off base.
I would ask something though. Please define "right wing hatred" with some specificity for me. Since I am seem to give the impression that I march in lock step which such a group, even though I thought I made it clear that I am in disagreement with many in the GOP establishment just as with liberal socialists, I would be very interested in your definition of just exactly what I am apparently in league with...
On the other hand, with the assertion that my prior posts have now relegated been relegated to being foolish, as well as hypocritical, would it even matter. I had hoped for a more cogent discussion of this issue but it appears not meant to be.
I haven't seen a single fact-based counterpoint most of what I posted in regards o this topic at all...
On a final note, none of this is really disappointing to me in the least, just utterly predictable; for the most part, exactly as I anticipated it would be...

SFC Dave Beran - His personal motive may have ties to his political state of mind but this was not part of any political agenda representing a whole group.

He alone is responsible for his action but we also need to consider how crazies like him are whipped into a froth and inspired to act. Severed heads, stabbings of political opponents in the park etc can motivate the nuts to act. We used to be able to disagree on politics without the dark side of murder and beheadings looming in the media. It is not just rhetoric any more it is action. Holding up severed heads and performing murders on stage are action that can inspire nuts.

Didn't say he wasn't. Just like Antifa and shutting down Conservative speakers it is all political. Even comedians who attack 11 year olds. Are they resposible? Yes. What brought them to that point, politics on the web. They believe they are untouchable. And just so you know I feel the same way about attacks on Jewish cemeteries and churches wether they be black or white or green or whatever. Quit faulting the individuals without faulting the source. Was he deranged? Yes. The election put him completely over the edge.

Lets all just keep in mind that political hate rhetoric didn't begin in 2017 with the election of Trump. It's been festering and growing for several years with the minority party always attacking the majority. This is a great read that shows the back and forth political discourse by both parties for over a decade.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/06/the-blurry-line-between-violent-talk-and-violent-action/530367/

Gabby was shot by a certifiably insane man. This man targeted people based upon their political party and beliefs. Not exactly the same thing. He alone is responsible for his action but his action was politically motivated and directed at who he viewed as his political opponents.

Cpl Jeff N. - and we'll never know this guy's true motivations because he's dead.

SSG Michael Hartsfield - Mike, one need only look at the information on his facebook page and his political slant and the many statements already attributed to him. The fact that he confirmed the team on the field was the Republican team before shooting them etc. I don't need to have pictures drawn for me. I am not suggesting everyone of his political slant will be violent but to act like it was not a primary motivator is failing to face reality.

Cpl Jeff N. - you can find multiple examples of people here on RP using language just as visceral and inflammatory against Obama and Clinton as the shooter used on his FB pages against Trump and republicans. Lots of threads about Obama being a traitor and should be impeached. Dozens of threads about how Obama willfully was working to destroy our country. MIchelle Obama being called a "racist hag" by a senior officer. So let's take a step back when we look at connections between strong anti republican politics comments and crossing the line to becoming a shooter. If that were true, a whole bunch of RP posters are likely shooters.

It isn't liberal politicians who talk about "second amendment solutions" in response to what our government does. It wasn't the liberal media that tried to make heroes out of the antigovernment militia guys who aimed rifles at government law enforcement officers attempting to enforce a court order about federal land out west. While there is very strong rhetoric on both sides, IMO there is a distinct difference. I don't recall any liberal politician sayingthat if the government does things you don't like, you should be prepared to conduct armed resistance. I recall more talk about registering to vote than buying more weapons.

I think it is quite a stretch to say that liberals who say Trump's policies are bad for the country is inciting violence. Same for the media. I mean, at least let's use a common measuring stick. If Bill O'Rielly continually referring to an abortion doctor as a "baby killer" that needs to be stopped wasn't considered as having anything to do with inciting his later murder by an antiabortionist, then how can MSNBC be to blame for running stories about Trump hurting the country for today's shooting?

To me, this seems like a bridge to far.