Time to Chill

I know there are differing opinions about this but in my mind, the blame for the tragedy in Arizona which killed several people and severely injured Gabrielle Giffords sits directly at the feet of those who have ramp up the rhetoric about the political differences between left and right or, what is the US is really between the middle and the right. I don’t really think any self respecting left-winger could actually get elected in that country.

Has political rhetoric gone too far? As Sarah Palin might say if she was a thinking person, “You betcha.” But of course Sarah is all about being cranky and plays a larger than life role as a right-wing cheerleader. You probably know this already but her website, until a very short time ago had a map of the USA posted there with gun sight images over states that she suggested should be targeted by Republicans. One of those “targeted” was Ms. Giffords.

I am not suggesting for a moment that Ms. Palin was suggesting that the Democrat be “targeted” in the manner she was but the imaginary is chilling.

Could we end up in the same place here in Canada?

There is a difference but in recent years the rhetoric from the Harper camp, and others, has been building exponentially. Most of us are disgusted by it but a cross section of the population buys in.

Generally, Canadians don’t think it is acceptable to carry around concealed weapons or to have the unfettered right to purchase handguns but, if you took the time to scratched a little bit below the surface during the Gun Registry debate, like me, you would have been shocked.   You don’t have to take my word for it. Try a few web searches. There are some real crazies here too.

So, let’s take a deep breath and let’s hope our American friends do the same. Time to chill a bit.