Obviously, there are a million more pressing issues today, but here’s an e-mail comment from KQTH FM 104.1 talk-show host Jon Justice in response to Dupnik’s press conference editorializing about the polarizing role of talk radio.
Recognizing this is probably Dupnik’s toughest day, and emotions understandable, Dupnik has focused on this belief in the past as well, and has singled out Justice, although he probably includes the likes of Glenn Beck in the mix as well. He editorialized at least twice, maybe three times, on the topic.
Here’s the Justice e-mail response:
I feel incredibly bad for our brave Pima County Sheriff’s Officers who have to serve under Clarence Dupnik. Within hours of the horrific shooting that took place at the congresswoman’s event Dupnik was telling local media that talk radio and the media was partly to blame, only to repeat his statements again during the press conference that was receiving national attention. We have no idea at this point the motivation of this murderer’s act. Yet Dupnik took his moment in the spotlight to drive a political wedge into the event. They were reckless and dangerous statements made by someone who should have known better. He should have been using his time to help bring the community together. Instead his statements made Tucson appear to be a city full hate, bigotry and vitriol. To say, as Dupnik did, that comments made on the airwaves essentially motivated this person to commit this crime is exactly what he blamed talk radio of doing, inciting through pure rhetoric. It was complete misuse of his power and he owes the media in town, TV and radio, an apology for his horrible comments in the middle of such a tragic day. He should step down immediately from his position as Pima County Sheriff.
This article appears in Jan 6-12, 2011.
If the shoe fits wear it Jon.
Seems like Mr. Justice is very angry on many things. Also he may not know what the sherriff and their team knows about what influenced the shooter. Also he perhaps should view the Olbermann special Saturday comment.
On the bright side, I never have to listen to Jon Justice. Dupnik nailed this one. It’s easier to find a gun in Arizona than mental health care for those who need it. Sounds like Justice may be one of those in need.
Quite the mean spirited, whiny rant, just like his radio show.
It’s interesting that the rightwing is angry when Dupnik never said anything about the rightwing – only about bigotry and intolerance.
It speaks volumes that rightwingers want to reflexively denounce all attacks on bigotry and intolerance.
Jon Justice’s comments are exactly on target. Clarence Dupnik talks about vitriol, but he is the only one throwing it today.
Dupnik called it the way it is.
The neo-nazi and other hate activity has been rising significantly in the state.
His team has to deal with the effects.
The Red Cross used to have Arizona as safe to place foreign refugees. Tucson used to be on the top 10. In the last year, it has drop Arizona and flagged it as a place to avoid.
Boy is Jon right on. I was totally embarrassed to have to say to the world, this man is in charge of our Sheriff’s Dept.
While Justice spews it out each day while on the air. There wasn’t anything about Cong. Giffords, the nineteen shot, the six who died, especially a nine year old girl. It is all about Jon Justice. There is too much vitriolic rhetoric on all fronts, to the point, a simple event where people meet their elected official who represents them, can’t be done without armed guards and a metal detector.
So remember about casting a stone.
Everyone should call the advertisers and shut these mean spirited folks down.
I respect Sheriff Dupnik for the things he said tonight!
The Sheriff must have hit a sensitive spot with Jon Justice…he was calling him out and all the other haters. Jon is just mad because the tables were turned around on him! The Sheriff spoke the truth that most public officials are scared to say.
This is exactly what is taking the credibility of our nation around the world to the lowest point. We try to ignore the issues and pretend that by concealing them under the rug will make them go away. It’s well known of the bigotry and hate that exists in Arizona and many other parts of this great nation. The anti immigration agenda of their own Governor J. Brewer added to the accomplices like the Tea Party and the media clowns like Mr. in-Justice and Geraldo Rivera and the FOX News apparatus and their hypocrite message is similar to the speech and practices of the refusal of civil rights to the black population of the 60’s.
Many politicians are only interested in pleasing the interest that put them in power and not in the best interest of the american people. Keeping 12 million+ immigrants in a political/social/economic limbo is probably the worse national strategy, and such, will continue to pollute ignorant and unstable minds to a point of no return and it will take us back to the extermination of the indians in the persona of latino immigrants.
Sheriff Dupnik spoke from his heart and I wholeheartedly support what he said. Conservatives are acting like their ranting and raving have nothing to do with what happened today. It is time for conservatives to be accountable for their words. If anything, Jon Justice owes this entire community an apology for stirring the coals of hatred and should quietly leave town. My Tucson, the little town I was born and raised in, has been savagely torn apart by conservatives who impose their will on others just like their ancestors did to people who were different than them. Jon Justice… Get outa town!
What a stretch for Dupnik to somehow tie this incident to talk radio. I’ve worked under this man for years and am fed up with his politics. How unprofessional. Dupnik has an obligation as an elected public servant, who owes it to all of you to come out and state the facts and properly inform the public. But instead, he used our tax dollars to spew rhetoric and personal conjecture. Trust me, as someone on the inside, there is nothing so far that relates this to talk radio. This was purely Dupnik’s personal theory. Next term won’t come soon enough to finally vote him out of office.
Calling a radio station “The Truth,” should be the first clue that something’s rotten in Tucson. Deliver me from the revisionists who think Gabby’s shooting wasn’t precipitated by political divisiveness and hate talk. I visited Jared Loughner’s youtube site and read his rants. Loughner may be a lone nut, but as Dupnick said, unbalanced people with guns, incited by hate talk do things that are unpredictable.
I send thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families, and to Jon Justice, I say, “Can’t you shut up for at least one day?”
Dupnik is an embarrassment and so are all of you who are making this about politics! Come to your senses and realize that we will go nowhere as a community and as a nation unless we stop this ridiculous name-calling and division over every incident that happens!
Instead of yelling at each other, why aren’t we more concerned about the victims? This is the time to unify hearts and mind and try to recover from this terrible tragedy!
We can have civil political discourse without vitriol and personal attacks at the proper time and place, but this isn’t it!!!
Both Olberman and dupnik took this horrible situation and made it about politics. This is not about politics. This is about a mentally unstable jerk off who doesn’t know right from wrong.
I am 65 and I have never seen so horrible as the liberal mean people taking every opportunity to tear people down and try to tie them to everything that appears to be against them. I want to be with the rest of the American people it is time to stop this and come together as Americans and solve problems. It is so sad that such people as K Olberman and C dupnik took this horrible situation and made it about politics. This is not about politics. This is about a mentally unstable jerk off who doesn’t know right from wrong.
I cannot believe the comments posted here, nothing but hatred and bigotry. This is way this country stays so divided. To point the finger at any political view is insane and the most ridiculous thing to say that talk radio or conservatives are somehow brain washing people to commit horrific actions like this.
Most Americans were moved by Sheriff Dupnik’s statemen, akin to Edward Morrow’s “The fault , dear Brutus, lies not in our star..but ourselves.”
I’ve never heard Mr Justice so I cannot speak to the content of his show, but the Sheriff spoke for many if not most of us in this country who waited, fervently hoping that this would never happen but expecting it to arise out of the lies, accusations, hatreds, fears and bigotries that have been poured out, fanned, incited or inflamed over the last few years.
As an attorney who prosecuted international crimes, I can speak with some justification that actions like these do not arise out of a vacuum, and even at Nuremberg there was testimony on the effects of infflammatory propaganda
In the moments that he spoke, Sheriff Dupnik was the conscience of America
I am ashamed to have to admit that Clarence Dupnik is the Sheriff of the county I live in. This shame comes not only from his actions and statements yesterday, but from many other things he has done and said.
The alleged shooter is a 22 year old dude, that by some accounts is was a pot smoking loner. Not your “typical” talk radio listener. Until there are more FACTS presented in this case to tie the 22 year old to some ideology, presuming what triggered him is pure speculation. Last time I looked, Law Enforcement Officers are supposed to present facts, not their “opinion”. I’m sure Sheriff Dupnick was devastated by the loss and injury to friends of his, but a press conference was not the place to start the “blame game”.
Froggey,
Liberals are not making this about politics. We are making this about artificially created hate and anger, which it most likely actually is. It is you who is making it about politics when you falsely claim we are making it about politics – a common conservative tactic.
It is precisely because the repugnicans and their ranting mouthpieces are the primary source of this artificially created hate and anger that you, Jon Justice (if that is his real name), and all your ilk then assume people are attacking you when they decry the rise in artificially created hate and anger. As I recall, Dupnik did not refer to any specific political party or group of “political entertainers” and yet all of the hate-mongers just assumed Dupnik was talking about them and took umbrage at his “unfair comments.” As my grandmother used to say, “The dirty dog barks first.”
To Jon Justice,
Why on earth would it be terrible to serve under someone just because he wishes that people would stop spreading hate? Your logic just boggles my mind. It is exactly that kind of constant stream of ad hominem attacks that serve to rile up disturbed minds like that of Jared Loughner.
Finally, as to the claims that the only thing that inspired Jared Loughner to attack Gabriel Giffords is that he is simply deranged, and that all the rampant hate-mongering has nothing to do with it, answer me this: Why is it that all of the attacks and violence against political or public figures – from the assassination of Lincoln (who, for those who know their history, was in the more liberal party of the time, regardless of the name of the party), to the lynchings after the Civil War, to JFK, to church burnings, to murders of legal abortion providers, and now to Gabriel Giffords – have all been committed by radical RIGHT WING nut-jobs against liberals? I can recall no attacks on conservatives by liberals. (And no, the attempted assassination of Ronald Regan does not count, as Hinkley had first targeted Jimmy Carter but was locked up before he could get to him. Hinkley was not inspired by hate, he was inspired by obsession.)
Conservatives have been using lies, hate, fear, and references to violence – thinly veiled or not – for about as long as this country has existed. When they swear off these tactics and actually stick to their promise, then I will believe them when they say they are upset when their calls for violence are eventually answered. Until then, I have no reason whatsoever to believe that conservatives are not secretly jumping for joy at this latest fulfillment of their oft’ stated desires.
I don’t understand why it’s only the right ranting and raving caused this. I have countless articles of the left doing the same thing. This is not a time for pointing fingers and spewing political rhetoric from either side. This was someone who wanted to make a name for himself. Read his craziness. One post in December basically said “see me on TV soon”. Sheriff said the suspect was “uncooperative” or did you all seem to miss that in the press conference (ie he doesn’t know why the guy did it yet).
I find it absolutely incredulous the guilty conscience of the right wing angry old white retirees. You should feel guilty!!! The doom and gloom prophecies from the Glenn Becks and Faux News (while they themselves profit like elitists from getting the lemmings to worship their words about this country being destroyed simply because some poor people might get health insurance) spreads hatred in people looking for validation to their poisoned minds.
This amazing sheriff said what everyone in the country is thinking and that is this anti government rhetoric from extremely wealthy people who profit from angering the less fortunate at the expense of the less fortunate and the country as a whole MUST STOP!!!!
So – when the Ft Hood massacre took place, the alleged MSM and even the CIC were to quick to advise everyone to “not jump to conclusions” – though the shooters Islam ties were clear. NOW – the alleged MSM is saying its got to be Palin’s fault, or Bush’s fault, or the Tea Party’s fault, though the AZ shooter’s leftist ties are also clear. Hmmm… what’s wrong with this picture???
Wow!!!! The level of “hate” speech from left here amazes me! Talk about casting stones!!!! For those of you who only watch sound bites of the Sheriff and the press conference, here’s a tidbit of info for you. At the end of his last “blame talk radio” rant a reporter asked him if there was any evidence that that had anything to do with the motive in this case. AND HE SAID NO!!!!! Stop with the well he might know something we don’t know ridiculousness! His comments were in themselves hateful and could be seen as stirring up those on the left. It’s amazing how many stones we are all willing to cast here.
Dupnik nailed it. Jon (I refuse to call him “Justice”) is just whining because he put himself in the list that Dupnik spoke of. There are those on both sides of the aisle who contribute to this vitriol, Dupnik carefully didn’t say names.
Yes, as said above, my first thought was, “If the shoe fits, wear it, Jon.” Just reading the other comments, the most angry and vitriolic are against Dupnik. Perhaps if Jon faced what Dupnik deals with everyday in his job as a result of uncontrolled anger, he’d “get it.” It’s so easy for Jon to sit and spew and rant on the radio…
Of course you will say that. You realize that people like you are to blame so you are trying to tear down others for telling it how it is. That is what you do, make a living off hate.
My original post apparently offended the fragile sensibilities of the house censor, so I’ll limit this one to one fact we do know about the perp: The Communist Manifesto is among his favorite books. Now tell us again how his actions are a clear manifestation of an already addled mind further warped by too much conservative radio. How silly.
Another commenter makes a very, very good point. Most of the media and most elected officials were determined to NOT talk about the Ft. Hood shooter’s Islamic bent, which was a documented fact, as a reason for the Ft. Hood massacre…but in this case no one has any hard proof about the Tucson man’s religion or politics YET, but has already dubbed him the poster boy for all that is wrong with our society. Hello?? Way to be hypocritical.
People that are blaming talk radio for the tragedy in Arizona need to blame the Beatles for the Sharon Tate murders, Jodi Foster for shooting Ronald Reagan, and the Catcher in the Rye for shooting John Lennon. Everyone else realizes it was t…he action of a crazy gunman.
AZ,
Although I do agree with you when you assert these were the actions of a crazed gunman, I do not think you are correct to assert that political rhetoric is akin to art. Hell, using your logic we might as well hail Goebbels as the being greatest artist of all time. Yes, he was a crazed gunman – no one disagrees with that – but you are incorrect to assert that art and politically charged rhetoric are one and the same.
This guy was where the two extremes meet, which seems to be a mix of xenophobia, anti-establishment, anarchist, paranoid and beholden to no god to answer to or even what seems a scientific conscious guilt which probably makes the guy neither a Dem or Rep, as both are establishments AND probably shares certain beliefs of BOTH parties…. BUT…. The real point then should be that both sides are succeptable to the onslaught of negative exaggerations being portrayed in the political forum. The current venom is coming from some pretty obvious sources, AND now those same sources are more offended at a request to stop the demonizing than the possibility something they said could actually do harm to the unstable wackos, be them left right or as seen with this guy both and neither at the same time.
To the person who points out the communist manifesto, your part of the problem, at the very minimum mention he also mentions mine kamf (purp misspelled), showing he liked both extremes
ST are you saying Goebbells was not a major orchestrator and influencer in those atrocities the public allowed, called for and in many cases participated in against the gypsies, jews and innocent families???? His words turned unstable minds into unwavering executioners
Dupnik did NOT blame “conservative” radio, he said “talk” radio; he did not single out any particular entertainer, or network, or political party. If some of you want to assume that he was talking about your heroes, what does that say about you?
Hi Mac,
We agree, it seems. I was merely responding to AZ’s comments. Goebbels was indeed responsible for all you say, and likely more. However, hos words turned stable minds into unwavering executioners.
For Justice and others like him, hate talk radio is his meal ticket. Manipulating the ignorant, the angry and the gullible can be very lucrative and he does not want to lose this source of income. Expect may more attacks on Dupnik from the likes of Limbaugh, Beck. Hannity, and Coulter.
Did anyone go to Jess Kelly’s Kill the Bill shoot-out? I heard about it on talk radio. We’ll take our government back and we can fly our flag – the one with the violent threat.
Every person has a responsibility to call out this pathetic, vile industry of entertainment radio, television built on hate, anger, lies, and conspiracy.
This is from an article whose link I posted but my comment was deleted for posting it. Or maybe the editor just doesn’t want this information in the thread. This demonstrates that right wing talk radio fuels the kind of hatred that killed the judge.
firetown dot com has the story.
Murdered judge had received threats: “we should kill him, he should be dead”
Federal Judge John Roll was killed during a shooting in Arizona that also involved an attack on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
U.S. Marshal for Arizona David Gonzales confirmed to the Associated Press that the U.S. District Judge had died. He offered no other details on the shooting.
Arizona Central talked to Gonzales in 2009 after Roll allowed a $32 million civil-rights lawsuit to proceed against a local rancher. The case was filed by illegal immigrants and drew the ire of local talk radio hosts, who “spurred audiences into making threats.”
In one afternoon, Roll logged more than 200 phone calls. Callers threatened the judge and his family. They posted personal information about Roll online.”They said, ‘We should kill him. He should be dead,’ ” Gonzales said.
Both Roll and his wife were given a U.S. Marshals Service protection detail at the time. Roll called the month-long protection experience “unnerving and invasive.” According to Arizona Central, authorities identified four men believed to be responsible for the threats, but Roll declined to press charges at the recommendation of the Marshals Service.
Right wing talk radio hosts and their parasite callers threatened the judge. And now they’re going after Sheriff Dupnkik. Anybody surprised? I’m sure the poor Sheriff, who is a hero as far as I’m concerned, will need body guards to protect him from the Arizona hate zombies.
Dupnik never named names, and never called out “right” or “left”. It’s telling that “conservative” radio hosts are the first to jump up and yell “NOT MY FAULT!” even though they were never singled out.
Guilty consciences? You better believe it. It’s the same exact reason Sarah Palin started scrubbing her website of all references to her “target list”. GUILT.
I’m actually kind of heartened by that, in a way, Mr. Justice. It means that somewhere in the depths of your thought process, you still HAVE vestiges of a conscience. Embrace it. Learn from it. And stop spewing this divisive “right vs left” rhetoric. You are part of the problem and I submit you know that all too well, even if you never have the guts to admit it in public.
Tht truth is a Bitch– isn’t it. Hurray for your Sherriff to speak the truth!!!
Boy, are you on the wrong side of this one, Kyl. Your sponsors are trembling…
Sorry…what I meant to say:
Boy, are you on the wrong side of this one, JUSTICE. Your sponsors are trembling…
(I was still stunned by Kyl’s tepid response to the situation)
Sheriff Dupnik is an honest American citizen who is articulate and calls it like it is. The hate spewing right should be ashamed of bashing this man. Listen up and learn, it’s time to be real about what such horrid negativity creates.
Yes, Jon Justice and the teabaggers are the real victims here (as always)!
Sheriff Dupnik is a political opportunist who knows his audience. No evidence, logic, facts or integrity necessary.
You people who are all upset about Sheriff Dupnik’s remarks a) didn’t hear what he actually said, and b) are reacting out of guilt and shame because you know he is right. NOWHERE in his comments did he single out right-wing/conservative radio EXCLUSIVELY. He mentioned talk radio AND the tv commentators AND television in general, referring to what we’re allowing our children to be exposed to.
It’s one thing to disagree. It’s another thing to talk about putting people in crosshairs. Furthermore, people need to learn to listen with their own ears as opposed to simply accepting what someone ELSE said someone ELSE said as gospel. The ignorance of the majority of the body politic is overwhelming. These same conservatives who are poo-pooing the idea that talk radio and political talking heads spews vitriolic rhetoric are too stupid to admit to even themselves that they have a responsibilty for the words they say.
Just as the person calling “fire” in a crowded room causes a stampede is held responsible for any loss of life, so should those persons getting paid millions but doing nothing productive, merely ranting and spewing hate speech.
Anytime someone brings up “bigotry and intolerance” the Limbaugh’s, Johnson’s, Huckabee’s, Palin’s, Beck’s and their ilk sequel like a pig! If the shoe fits, wear it. This hatred and bigotry will only stop when people send a clear message to the corporate sponsors of the hate programs that they will no longer buy the products advertised on these programs. These people make multi-million dollar living spewing hate. Let’s honor the people who were killed and injured in AZ but putting a stop to the loud mouth bullies who are destroying the United States of America! They all need to go get real jobs.
The right wing apologists here, continue to use the Fox indoctrinated talking points of misdirection by “blame the other side for being the same way”, etc. etc. The difference is, the brainwashed hate and fear mongering citizens have found home with the Teabaggers and GOP whom have created this group to attack “health care reform” via the Koch Bros. Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks (also with Dick Army), Heritage Foundation (Bill Kristol), Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch at News Corp./Fox and the Czars of hate and fear, Beck, Palin, Limbaugh, Hannity, Ingrahamn, Savage and a host of others that spread lies and distortions as “entertaiment” 24/7 365 a year either through their AM Hate Radio Talk show outlets (if you listen to them for a day, you know where nut jobs get their ideas) and of course Fox – they all use the same “opinion” depending on what the GOP wants across all platforms (i.e., Hannity will have the same opinion for the GOP that Beck does, or Limbaugh, etc.). The Right-Wing has been cultivating the hate radio listeners and easily misled since Reagan. The Cable Broadcasting of these same blind faith sheep were cultivated with Limbaugh, Fox and Reagan (whom actually did away with our broadcast protections to stop what Fox does today in brainwashing the less educated American Citizen with “opinion” broadcasting – which allows them to get away with not being exactly honest (Please view Outfoxed – you don’t have to like it, but you will see what I mean). This tragedy is owned by the actions of the GOP. We’ve seen it coming, we hoped those not totally brainwashed on the right would stop it – now – who will actually learn from it? Those defending the idiocy masquerading as “free speech and freedom of the press”? Witness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJP9xB5Eoa0
The country applauds Sheriff Dupnik. Finally…..someone is honest enough to speak out about the violence & vitriol of the Tea Party & the gun culture in Arizona. No only do you have a Governor who is actively engaged in running a death panel, but you have Senators who are an active part of the Republican hatespeech put forth by Sarah Palin.
Last March, Palin called for her followers to visit her website where she had a disgraceful map of the United States w/ her targeted list of 20 Democratic Representatives she wanted removed. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was one of the 20 Palin had in her “crosshairs”.
It is now coming out that Tea Party members try to intimidate by protesting wearing guns outside Gabrielle’s office. The country has had enough of the Arizona culture involving guns & death panels. Your politics are absolutely disgraceful. Bravo for the Sheriff. He speaks the truth…..one of the few.
Mr Justice needs to take the words of our savior the Lord Jesus Christ to heart –
Luke 6:41-42
“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.”
TM,
You’ve got to be kidding me; a Bible quote? Will this superstition ever go away? Why don’t you add something intelligent to the conversation?
It would be so refreshing if these people who speak in terms of “lock and load,” and “putting people in the crosshairs,” would start taking responsibility for their actions. And, no, as much as some people would like it, THERE IS NO EQUIVALENT LEFT-WING RHETORIC.
I think that Justice should step down for being so dense as to disregard the words of a law enforcement official, who was correct in his statement.
I also believe that Jon Kyl should step down, for he knows nothing of law enforcement, and should not be making statements against his state’s law enforcement officials.
KKC,
I agree: very nicely stated; indeed, there isn’t an left-wing equivalent.
Feeling a tad guilty Jon? No, I suppose not. That would require a conscience or at least a moral compass. You wouldn’t know the difference between insight and incite.
How can the attempted assassination of a Congresswoman NOT be political?!
Loughner is clearly mentally unstable — but that does not absolve the right wing hate machine. Violent rhetoric makes it more likely that such people will think it’s OK to take violent actions. Comparing political opponents to Hitler, making not-so-subtle racially coded remarks about the President, and talking about using “2nd Amendment remedies” to “take out” your political enemies is NOT OK.
One last thought: If these assassinations are just the random actions of mentally unstable people, then how come it’s only liberal or Democratic leaders who are shot?
Jon Justice’s response to the Tuscon sherrif and calling for his resignation for speaking his mind about hatred in this country, the blood on our hands and at our very feet shows Justice’s true colors — dispicable anger that cripples our country.
The targeting of a politician at a political event is inherently, that is by its nature, a political act. The person who first brought politics into this was the gunman himself. The fact that the politician is a democrat gives the left a leg to stand on. If the victim had been a republic and Dupnik had said the exact same thing, is there any doubt the shoe would be on the other foot? No. The only thing we don’t know is if the gunman cared whether the politician was a democrat or a republic.
I didn’t hear Dupnik call Jon Justice out by name. Guilty conscience Jon? I listen to your show on the way to work so I can hear the other side. Your show has repeatedly demonized Giffords and given a platform for Jesse Kelly during the election. Actions have consequences and it seems like the chickens have come home to roost.
Mr. Jon, you contribute to this hatred and racism. You use your “free speech” but are not happy when someone else does. The Sheriff words are the truth, you just don’t like it.
So now people blame everyone BUT the person that actually committed this violent act? This killing spree has nothing to do with talk radio, or anything about the political discourse in our nation. This evil SOB did not stop with Giffords. He went on a shooting spree, which he wanted to die at the end. He brought three 30 round clips and more rounds in his pockets. It would have been just a political motivated shooting if he stopped with Mrs. Giffords. He wounded and killed another 18 more people, including a 9 year old child. He had rants about the government brainwashing the populous with “grammer” and reads the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf. Which are bought very different books in political leanings. He had a freaking skull shrine in his back yard. He has a video him burning the US flag.
I understand the Sheriff is hurting and Rep. Giffords was a personal friend. However, he needs to act professional and state the facts about the case. I commend the President for not turning this into a political issue.
So because of .0001 percent of the population are crazy evil SOBs and can cause a mass killing. We blame media that MILLIONS listen to and watch everyday and never do a violent act. That makes a lot of sense…..
I guess we should blame all of Islam because of the way more Muslims Terrorists that have killed more people than any so called “right” wing extremist has in this country. No, that is silly. However, many here want to blame right winged radio/media for this killing.
Again, this guy as a SKULL SHRINE in back yard. So my question is where was his parents? He lived with his parents. Why did his parents get him help or commit him? Why did not Pima College call his parents? I know he is a adult, but he was insane.
It is just irritating hearing all these neighbors, students, and other people that say he had problems and might even kill someone. You always hear them AFTER the shooting. We need to hear them BEFORE.
If the Sheriff thinks Tucson is bad, he should see Phoenix. This whole state is as the Sheriff described it, in a moment of high tension and emotion. Jon Justice has a guilty conscience because he calls for unwavering resistence to anything associated with government.
I also forgot to say. Well Said Jon!
Just wanted to reinforce other comments regarding Sheriff Dupnik’s statement.
He never mentioned “right” or “left” wing parties.
Ever since President Obama has been elected the right wind airwaves have done nothing but try to destroy the effectiveness of his government – they have not been able to do so. They have been spewing hate for over 2 year now and this is one of the consequences.
What about Gabrielle Giffords being on Sara Palin “cross hairs” hit list?????
Sara Palin said the cross airs had nothing to do with guns? Oh really?, Really Sara? What do they relate to? Making pancakes????? fast cars?????
For all of you who have now switched your excuses from, well maybe we don’t know everything that the Sheriff knows to he never pointed out any one or any group including Jon Justice so it must be a guilty conscience, is speaking from a place of ignorance. There has been a long standing local banter between the two for quite sometime where the Sheriff has named him specifically when using the same vitriol rhetoric that he used in that press confrence. Bring on the next excuse!
on the ball,
what about Democrat Harry Mitchell’s targeting of JD Hayworth in 2006 in which he had Hayworth’s picture with crosshairs over his face? If you are gonna condem one you have to condemn all!!! Quit blaming anyone else but this nut job who made the decision to pick up a gun and shoot someone!!!
On The Ball is…on the ball! If Palin had nothing to worry about, there was no need to scrub her website.
Guilt, guilt, guilt. And I find the kneejerk reactions to those who would malign Dupnik to be despicable. Some of you clearly do not have very much in the way of cognizant thinking skills. Of COURSE this hateful rhetoric is a causative affect and is a BIG reason this happened.
It was only a matter of time. The sooner those of you in denial understand “denial” is exactly what you’re in, the better off you’ll be. If you don’t, the healing cannot begin. It sounds to me that with some of the more vehement deniers, that they want this kind of thing to happen again.
Disgusting!
You should be ashamed of yourself. He is bringing the community together. You must feel like the finger was pointing at you.
Words show malice: desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.
Hopefully, one day you will grow up and feel guilty about your contribution to this and the tearing down of the American fabric. You are a punk compared to men like Mr Dupnik.
Bravo to Sheriff Dupnik with his honesty and his courage to “tell it like it is” here in Arizona and also across the country right now. I nearly fell off my chair to finally hear someone with brains who could put into words what a majority of us really think. There is more room in this country for brave men like him….bring them on!
Cindee, what hateful rhetoric? Name something specific so that we know what it is that you are talking about, because so far that has been the left’s best defense in not naming what they or even this Sheriff meant. Why doesn’t he clarify his remarks? Maybe there is some guilt there on his part…you think? Like I said before, those who know of the remarks the Sheriff has made here locally before this, which by the way were exactly the same, and who they were specifically aimed at, know without a doubt who he was speaking to and about in his recent comments. It’s not rocket science.
And for those of you who feel “Words show malice” are we talking about all words or just those of Conservatives? Less we forget words of our own President Barrack Obama: “Republican victory would mean hand to hand combat”, “they bring a knife we bring a gun”, “hit back twice as hard”, “punish your enemies”, “I’m itching for a fight”, “I don’t want to quell anger, I think people are right to be angry, I’m angry” Shall we blame Obama as well?
Sheriff Dupnik was just on ABC news and specifically named Rush Limbaugh and talk radio as who he is talking about. So where are the excuses now?
And how about the fact that more is coming out now that the Sheriff’s department had previous run-ins when it came to this nut job threatening others. Hmmmm? Could this be somone trying to pass the buck. I guess time will tell.
There are many elements to this horrific crime, and people should ponder them.
Why was he allowed to buy a gun? If he was mentally ill, was he formally labeled as such; if not, why? Does Arizona have a law where those deemed to be a “threat to self or others” in California can be held for 72 hours for observation. Does Arizona have anything similar? If there IS such a law, why didn’t the college make a formal complaint about him when he was kicked out previously? And, on and on…
Sheriff Dupnik is a truth teller and needs to be acclaimed as such and not pilloried by theh Arizona right wing, and Jon (in)Justice needs to remember that THE SHERIFF DID NOT PULL THE TRIGGER,and the congresswoman did not request security or law enforcement to be present at her public meeting. Unfortunately.
Also, there is a report from Department of Homeland Security detailing the increased growth of right-wing terrorist groups and “lone-wolf” individuals posing increased threats, especially since an African American was elected president (it’s called “racism” folks). Read it for yourselves and use it to refute the RW liars.
When did Jon Justice ever say or even imply that Dupnik pulled the trigger…uhm….it’s more like the other way around. It’s sad how some are so blinded by their one sided point of view that they can’t think rationally for themselves. Now I will give that the Sheriff was under a lot of stress and anger when he made his initial comments but he is still making them and they are as absurd as stating that music or tv or anything else played a part in this person’s actions. I’m sorry but I have never seen such hypocrisy as there is on the left in this country. After George Bush was elected for the second time, the left pulled out every trick (hateful rhetoric) in the book to turn the nation against the right. They even attacked a moderate in John McCain unmercifully until people believed he himself was George Bush. They slaughtered Sarah Palin in the media and still are to this day. And what happened when the right fought back for the past 2 years? They now cry foul!!! Grow up people!!!! If you who call yourselves Liberals are so rightous then show it by stopping your own rhetoric, otherwise man up and stop whining about it!!!!
I quit listening to Ch 9 news because I never wanted to hear another word this guy said. Maybe he should transcribe a few of his comments and read them over before pointing the finger at others.
Sheriff Dupnik has been up and down in the media and the political limelight over many years. I understand his difficulty with the recent press conferences because I know he was suffering along with all of us who’ve been touched and frightened by last Saturday’s events.
gman2099 said:
“There has been a long standing local banter between the two for quite sometime where the Sheriff has named him specifically when using the same vitriol rhetoric that he used in that press confrence.”
Can you exactly point out the so called ‘vitriol rhetoric’ that Sheriff Dupnik used during his press conference? Yeah, right, I didn’t think so.
TellitLikeItIs, I will do just that as soon as you point out the same from Jon Justice….You proved my point exactly, LOL!!!! What is vitriol rhetoric? Liberals have been throwing around that word since Dupnik used it but without any example or evidence of such. Thank you!!!!
TellitLikeItIs, I’ll do one better. I’ll even show the example I was talking about.
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F…
At least I’m willing to back it up with something. LOL
No, Dupnik didn’t pull the trigger, and neither did Sarah Palin (contrary to the assertions of the legions of the Left).
But Dupnik’s department DID deal with multiple death threats by Loughner, and the only response was to tell the threatened parties “don’t worry, he’s under control”.
Here’s a different narrative for all of you: Political hack sheriff refuses to deal with nutjob because hack sheriff doesn’t want to cause trouble for fellow Democrat. Now political hack sheriff is desperate to keep the public’s attention off HIS (in)actions.
Do I KNOW any of this? Of course not. But the verifiable facts so far (the sheriff has publicly admitted multiple contacts with Loughner due to his death threats, Loughner’s mother is also a Pima County employee) at least FIT my narrative, while there are no FACTS (I’m referring to actual evidence, not the fevered religious beliefs of the Left) which support the “Palin inspired it” narrative (Loughner not affiliated with any party, didn’t vote in the election which brought Tea Party folk to the voting booths in record numbers, Loughner’s obsession apparently dates back to AT LEAST 2007).
Basically, the Left’s approach is this: “I hate X, therefore X caused Loughner to shoot those people”. That’s fine as a religious belief, but don’t expect sympathy from me when you seek to have the government ACT on behalf of your religion.
TellitLikeItIs, vitriol rhetoric simply is using bitterly abusive feeling or expression while speaking ones mind. Maybe that will help in your example searching. Oh wait I have one, “Hate-monger Jon Justice and his followers have the blood of all of Saturday’s massacre on their hands.” Oh oops, who said that? Sounds pretty bitterly abusive to me seeing that it is an absolute inaccuracy of the facts. 🙂
Cindee,
If you’re going to play the “removal from web site indicates guilty conscience” card, then kindly start accusing The Daily Kos, which removed its own “bullseye on Giffords” page, as well as the “Giffords is DEAD to me” page.
If you’re going to play the “right wingers say violent things” card, then kindly address the comments of Paul Kanjorski, a former (defeated in November) PA congressman who said that the Republican candidate for governor of Florida should be “lined up against a wall and shot”.
If you’re going to play the “right wingers do violent things” card, then kindly address the beating of Kenneth Gladney (a black man) by white SEIU people (hint: the SEIU is way over on the left) in St. Louis. Or discuss the lefty who bit off the finger of a Tea Party demonstrator in Thousand Oaks, California. You can also talk about the people who planned to firebomb attendees of the 2008 Republican convention in Minneapolis.
Regarding the “how can a mental case get a gun?” issue, I’ll explain in simple steps so you can understand:
1) How are mental cases kept from getting guns? Their names are put in a database which gun sellers refer to when making a sale
2) How do the names of mental cases get on the list? Government authorities put their names there because the mental cases did things which got them noticed by said authorities
3) Did any local government authority know of crazy/nasty things which this nutcase said/did? Yes, Sheriff Dupnik’s department (that is not speculation – he has said so to NPR and others)
4) Did Sheriff Dupnik’s department try to get the name of this mental case on the list? We don’t know. But my BELIEF is that the answer is “no”, due to Dupnik’s incompetence or political concerns.
Note that I’ve clearly labeled my beliefs in the above – all other items are facts which you can find out for yourself by spending a few minutes at your favorite search engine.
Meanwhile, if you wish to convince people that “right-wing rhetoric” caused this nut job to shoot people, you might resort to the facts of the case (no, screaming “Palin did it!” repeatedly does not constitute a “fact”). When you do so, you’ll also need to address facts which contradict your narrative (obsession with Giffords since at least 2007, no evidence of any Tea Party leanings).
My belief, though, is that you’ll continue to spout your lefty rhetoric, because you BELIEVE it so strongly that OF COURSE anyone who doesn’t agree with you HAS to be evil or deluded.
Sarah who?
Let’s face it 99% of the people don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves. Otherwise things like people killing people would not be happening. As-in most of them went to church today yet tomorrow they’ll be ok with dropping bombs on woman and children in some other country. Or be ok with shooting some teenage kid trying to get into America to make a better life for himself. Just like their forefathers did only the teenage kid isn’t killing off the natives.
El Pearl,
Who are you talking about when you say people are ok with killing women and children? Are you talking about the radical Islamic extremists that use IEDs, VBEDs, and suicide bombs to kill women shopping in market places and children in their schools? I am not saying US forces never have directly killed innocent life. However, we go to great lengths to protect innocent civilians. Islamic Extremists TARGET innocent people. I can’t count how many times my unit was getting hit with indirect fire and we did not fire back because it was coming from a school yard where kids were present or another populated area where terrorist were using civilians as human shields. My unit got hit with an IED and not ONE SHOT was fired from my unit because of the innocent civilians in the houses around the area.
I guess you have selective reading when it comes to the teenager that got shot by the Border Patrol. He was threatening the lives of our agents with deadly force. The one in El Paso worked for the drug/human smuggling cartels, which brutally rob, rape, torture and kill some of the illegal aliens trying to come across into this country. These smuggling groups used piano wire to try injure BP agents riding on ATVs. They set up traps by the border wall to make the agent get out of his vehicle so they could throw large rocks onto his head trying to kill him. I do not fault a agent (or anyone) for defending their life, even if they shoot a teenager. Assaults on our Border Patrol have greatly increased. Two have been killed in a year along our border. Not everyone crossing border is looking for a better life.
Also your logic that that 99% of the people only care about themselves and that is why Jared went on a shooting spree does not make sense. How is the effects of the over populous selfishness cause a mentally deranged person, where the red flags where ignored by his parents, to shoot a person? Most psychiatrists would disagree with you.
John Justice name says it all, Justice “Just for us”…