Merged Shooting at GOP Baseball Practice./Gunman targets Republicans

[thaiboxerken]

The shooter is white, so he's not a terrorist.

 

[Sideroxylon]

An attack on members of Congress isn't an attack on any single party, it's an attack on our Democracy and no one should stand for it.​

https://twitter.com/jbillinson/status/874968736016498688

I am pleased to be getting similar semtiments and wishes for recovery on my Twitter feed. Will use it as a chance to prune if I see otherwise.

 

[Marcus]

That seems pretty silly.

We don't even know yet if it was his presence that precipitated the attack in the first place.

The shooter showed up first without a gun, asking if it was Dems or Repubs practicing. So if appears, at this stage anyway, that he just wanted to shoot some Republicans.

 

[Meadmaker]

On the other hand it looks like Scalise's mere presence helped save lives.

Rand Paul on MSNBC says Scalise being there likely saved everyone because his presence (he's leadership) meant Capitol Police were there​

That seems pretty silly.

We don't even know yet if it was his presence that precipitated the attack in the first place.

"Ordinary" members of Congress are not usually accompanied by police, but those in leadership positions are.

It's not that Scalise was a specific target, but because a leader was present, the security detail was also present, and could return fire. If no members of the leadership were present, the gunman would have had no armed opposition.

 

[Jim_MDP]

The shooter showed up first without a gun, asking if it was Dems or Repubs practicing. So if appears, at this stage anyway, that he just wanted to shoot some Republicans.

So it may have been both... precipitated by the GOP team, and the attack possibly shortened by a "ranking" members' protective detail (both parties get security details).


eta: Damn... I'm slow. I claim "cocktails" as my excuse (yes, I'm still awake).

 

[logger]

Gunman targets Republicans

Another LEFTIST targets Republicans. Why? Because this is what leftists do, you cannot go against the god of liberalism without consequences. Now some here will be upset with politicizing this tragedy from the start, good! It needs to be shouted from the rooftops what violent scum leftists are!

 

[William Parcher]

There's not enough information yet to determine motive. Way too soon to say he wanted to kill a Republican(s), even if his previous question is accurate.

 

[psionl0]

Who?

 

[Tony Stark]

But Republican scum attempting to cause thousands of Americans to die a year so rich people can get richer is totally cool.

Also, you have no idea if this was a leftist or not.

 

[Stacko]

There's not enough information yet to determine motive. Way too soon to say he wanted to kill a Republican(s), even if his previous question is accurate.

Appears to be two different people.

As @AlanMCole notes, Jeff Duncan says the man who asked him about party affiliation was in running clothes, Flake says shooter wore jeans.​

Still too much fog to determine anything.

 

[LTC8K6]

Nobody is dead.

Maybe the shooter is...it's uncertain.

Unfortunately the first reaction these days is often:

"How can I/we use this?"

I remember when it was claimed that Giffords was shot because of something that looked like a cross hair in a political ad.

These days we have acceptance of all sorts of violent rhetoric and opinions, up to and including killing your opponents.

Or even killing people who just disagree with you.

It's just par for the course now.

Can't get what you want? Preach violence. Few care anymore.

 

[LTC8K6]

Appears to be two different people.

As @AlanMCole notes, Jeff Duncan says the man who asked him about party affiliation was in running clothes, Flake says shooter wore jeans.​

Still too much fog to determine anything.

Same person, I think.

Went up first to ask the question and case the area.

Went back and changed and brought the rifle and the pistol.

 

[fagin]

You might want to ask for a merge with the current, slightly more sensible thread.

Or not...

 

[phiwum]

Let's wait and see precisely what happened and why.

It sure might be a result of partisanism taken to incredible extremes. And it might not. It might be a delusional nut in the style of Hinckley.

Sure, your willingness to politicize a terrible event is bad, but the fact that near total ignorance plays no restraining role is even worse.

 

[William Parcher]

Might be an insane Anarchist who wanted to kill any politician. Or maybe an insane guy who just wanted to kill anybody at all.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Might be an insane Anarchist who wanted to kill any politician. Or maybe an insane guy who just wanted to kill anybody at all.

Could be.

 

[a_unique_person]

Crazy **** going down in the USA these days.

 

[William Parcher]

You might want to ask for a merge with the current, slightly more sensible thread.

Or not...

I already did that.

 

[phiwum]

Really interesting to see the mask drop on some members when things like this happen.

Tony hasn't hidden behind a mask. His views are consistent and public.

 

[a_unique_person]

You might want to ask for a merge with the current, slightly more sensible thread.

Or not...

No. It's just as nonsensical.