Tucson Massacre: Sarah Palin's Unclean Hands

By David Mixner -
More than any other individual, Sarah Palin emerges from the Tucson Massacre with unclean hands. 'Lock And Load' Sarah has made an industry of her family and herself with expressions that clearly center politics around guns. From the rifle scope targets on Congressional seats to her clearly not-so-subliminal message of 'lock and load,' Mrs. Palin's rhetoric has greatly inflamed and infected the American political process.
The fact that her website immediately removed the rifle scope targets tells you clearly they knew the ramifications of her message. No matter how quickly they removed the evidence of her abuse of power and position and despite her messages of grief, she cannot wash her hands of her complicity that quickly. She must be held accountable by responsible people from all parties and walks of life. People must know that there is a price to be paid for reckless, unchecked and incendiary words in the American political process.
Established institutions have brought into her 'cuteness' and irresponsibility. The Learning Channel (of all places, The Learning Channel...) paid her huge sums of money so we could watch firsthand her teaching her daughter how to 'lock and load' with a smirk on her face. "Dancing with the Stars" helped continued to build "Palin, Inc" and bestow respectability to an unacceptable way of American politics. In many ways, by treating her with such respect at the table of American democracy we have helped end a civilized dialogue in American politics. And those in the opposition who responded to her hate with hate of their own should look at themselves and their contributions to an inflammatory atmosphere in our country.

Dissent is an American treasure and one of our nation's most valuable assets. A true value of our success as a nation is how we make room for all views. No one should be silenced. Certainly no one of any political ideology should be shy about expressing opposition to either politics or people in politics. It is part of this nation's greatness.
Our challenge is to keep that spirit pure and at the same time not enhance or enrich the Sarah Palin's of the world. She has the right to say whatever she wants and anytime she wants to say it. And we have the right and obligation to isolate her to the fringes of American politics where her abuse of freedom of speech can do no further harm.

for more from David visit Live from Hell's Kitchen.

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