Have you paying any attention to the last 8 years? You think one of Olberman’s rants served “to get constant barrage of subtle criticisms and attacks on President Obama/Bush and the ruling Democrats/Republicans”.

Unless you were jumping up and down complaining about the left’s unhinged attacks on Bush you’ve got nothing to say of any importance now.

As to the guy being a Dem, I don’t see how that makes a difference one way or the other. Don’t the Dems have a former Kleagle in the Senate? I believe they do. If you can spin THAT away who thinks that von Bunn being a Dem is going to dissuade the left from blaming it on the right?

“. Von Brunn is (reportedly) linked to anti-government Tea Party protests. (Note: I’ve yet to see evidence of this alleged link, but let’s assume it’s true.)”

Sure there’s evidence that “The Left” is pushing this — Rick linked to a Tweet from the founder of the Daily Kos that’s pretty unintelligible, but mentions the shooter and has the words “Tea Party” in it — that’s pretty strong evidence “they” are trying to make a link, right?

p.s. — read the above with a helping of sarcasm.

Are there any intrepid citizen journalists out there who want to take a crack at confirming or denying this story, with incontrovertible evidence?

Sounds like some possible dot connecting to me.

And if proven, how would this affect all the blame Limbaugh, blame O’Reilly rhetoric. Look I’m not a fan of either of them. But blaming the SHOOTER who has been a demented hater all his life (or at least since 1968 when a lot of you political theoreticians were still in utero and I was already working on my second college degree - accounting - a bum move if ever I’ve made one)blaming the shooter makes a lot more sense to me.

Whatever happened to: We are born with FREE WILL and it is our responsibility for what we do - for good or ill!

While the Lunatic Fringe will always be with us (get Richard Hofstadtler’s book); new is the 24 hour news cycle and the internet.

One merely has to turn on Fox news to get constant barrage of subtle criticisms and attacks on President Obama and the ruling Democrats.

I recently joked with a Fox news viewer that if the “re-education” camps that Hannity warned about were being set up; I wouldn’t mind a rural vacation in one. I wondered if the same things were being said about the CCC Camps during the New Deal.

A constant diet of falsehood; biased information; and right wing propaganda is al that’s needed to set off the “lone wolves” to act; leaving their support systems intact. One need merely to go the websites of the rabid anit-abortion groups to see this in action.

As a Jew and a historian; I’m all too familiar with this.

Just read the new book (I’ve forgotten the title) about the history behind “Protocols.”

This a movie I’ve seen repeated many times before.

1. Von Brunn is (reportedly) linked to anti-government Tea Party protests. (Note: I’ve yet to see evidence of this alleged link, but let’s assume it’s true.)
2. Von Brunn is a anti-government murderer.
3. Therefore, Tea Party rhetoric incites people to murder.

That makes no sense. Neither does applying the same logic to last month’s foiled bombing of a synogoge in NYC. (http://news.aol.com/article/plot-to-bomb-new-york-temple/493070)

A. Four men are arrested plotting to bomb a synagogue and shoot down planes.
B. The men are converts to Islam and bent on a “Holy War” against America.
C. Therefore, Islamic teachings incites people to violence.

Both arguments are faulty but are used because they appeal to people’s prejudice. No reasonable person would conclude either:

1) Anti-tax Tea Parties encourage people to murder
2) All (or even most) believers in Islam are violent.

Von Brunn has more in common with these four arrested men than with talking heads. They are extremists and crazies.

Every large group has its wackos. We could apply the same faulty reasoning to environmentalism and the Unibomber, the pro-life movement and Tiller’s murder, marital infidelity and Democratic politicians, gays who riot after losing at the ballot box, corrupt Congressmen of either party, lying politicians of any party, and so on. Ultimately, such exercises are a meaningless distraction from the significant issues.