New beginning is what we need now more than ever. Not just this site, but all over the country.
With the recent Arizona shootings, I’m reminded once again how much we need to cool the vitriol and heated political rhetoric on all side of politics. Free speech make sour country great, but knowing how to use it wisely seems to have fallen on deaf ears in recent months.
Whether the alleged shooter is a right wing nutjob, a liberal wack job or a middle-of-the-roader who just snapped, you can be sure he was somehow, someplace, and a t some time exposed to hatespeak or name-calling in the media. Could have been talk-radio or cable news, or even the intenet. Lord knows there are way too many to pick for these days.
But excercising our rights to free speech also carries the tremendous weight of responsibility. If it’s just tossed to the wind, and not self-modulated, any number of tragic things can occur. While no one will ever be sure this incident was caused by irresponsible words, just the possibility of that happening should make every politician, activist, blogger, journalist, or talk radio host sit up and be aware.
Spewing rants is not responsible. It can and does hurt people.
