[Stimpy]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yes he is anti-government...any government....that has nothing to do with partisan politics. Not sure why you are arguing against that as it has been well established to this point and pretty much even argued by you when you posted this...

His personal politics may not be described as congruent with the current political dichotomy prevalent in the United States, but his actions were politically motivated. He's being described by DHA and the FBI as an anarchist or nihilist, which frames his political beliefs.

Politics and government are seperate things.

I'll define the terms so we're talking about the same thing.
gov·ern·ment

noun, often attributive
\ˈgə-vər(n)-mənt, -və-mənt; ˈgə-bəm-ənt, -vəm-\
Definition of GOVERNMENT

1
: the act or process of governing; specifically : authoritative direction or control

2
obsolete : moral conduct or behavior : discretion

3
a : the office, authority, or function of governing b obsolete : the term during which a governing official holds office

4
: the continuous exercise of authority over and the performance of functions for a political unit : rule

5
a : the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it b : the complex of political institutions, laws, and customs through which the function of governing is carried out

6
: the body of persons that constitutes the governing authority of a political unit or organization: as a : the officials comprising the governing body of a political unit and constituting the organization as an active agency b capitalized : the executive branch of the United States federal government c capitalized : a small group of persons holding simultaneously the principal political executive offices of a nation or other political unit and being responsible for the direction and supervision of public affairs: (1) : such a group in a parliamentary system constituted by the cabinet or by the ministry (2) : administration 4b


po·lit·i·cal

adj \pə-ˈli-ti-kəl\
Definition of POLITICAL

1
a : of or relating to government, a government, or the conduct of government b : of, relating to, or concerned with the making as distinguished from the administration of governmental policy

2
: of, relating to, involving, or involved in politics and especially party politics

3
: organized in governmental terms <political units>

4
: involving or charged or concerned with acts against a government or a political system <political prisoners>


pol·i·tics

noun pl but singular or pl in constr \ˈpä-lə-ˌtiks\
Definition of POLITICS

1
a : the art or science of government b : the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy c : the art or science concerned with winning and holding control over a government

2
: political actions, practices, or policies

3
a : political affairs or business; especially : competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership (as in a government) b : political life especially as a principal activity or profession c : political activities characterized by artful and often dishonest practices

4
: the political opinions or sympathies of a person

5
a : the total complex of relations between people living in society b : relations or conduct in a particular area of experience especially as seen or dealt with from a political point of view <office politics> <ethnic politics>


You can't define one without the other. They are symbiotic in nature. One does not exist without the other. I will point you to definition 4 of politics, which describes what is being discussed.

False.

He stated it was because of his perception that she treated him at a previous rally (much like the one on Saturday) very poorly or didnt give him enough of her time.

Where did he state that? There was a lot of ramblings on his web sites and in the notes he left behind in his safe, and most of them political in nature. He may has stated that he had disdain for the Congresswoman but he held the same view with pretty well everyone, based on the information available. His one statement about his displeasure about the snub he received from the Congresswoman does not eliminate the dozens of other political statements he made.

Again...politics and government are not one and the same although no question linked.

That's like trying to separate behavior and psychology. Psychology is the study of behavior and motivations. Politics is the behaviors, motivations and actions of government. You can't have one without the other.

She was not shot because she was a Democrat, she was shot because she was a politician...period. One he was familiar with. In fact i read something earlier today where it was explained that he had a big problem with George W as well.

As I said, this could have happened to someone from either party. This guy was unhinged and wanted to make a political statement about government. Giffords just happened to be the representative most available. I think we can agree that the ideology of the Congresswoman is irrelevant, but that does not mean his actions were not politically motivated. His writings and web sites indicate his motivations were political. His last note mentioned his assassination. I think one more definition may be helpful in explaining this.
as·sas·si·nate

verb \ə-ˈsa-sə-ˌnāt\
as·sas·si·nat·edas·sas·si·nat·ing
Definition of ASSASSINATE

transitive verb
1
: to injure or destroy unexpectedly and treacherously

2
: to murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack often for political reasons

This guy shot these people because he is batcrap crazy...not because of inflammatory political rhetoric.

The inflammatory rhetoric fed his delusions, enhanced his feelings of frustration and inflated his desire to act out. This same rhetoric is having similar results around the country, as indicated by the posted chronology.

That being said, I agree the crap has to stop as even if this particular scumbag wasn't motivated by the nonsense, its not a very hard stretch to see that exact thing happen in the near future with some other nutbar.

Completely agree with you. The heat needs to be turned down. Unfortunately it just continues to rise. Both sides of the debate need to calm down and choose their words a lot more carefully. They also have to get out of the cycle of perpetual campaigning and worry about governing rather than trying to get elected. The election cycle should be 90 days, and all campaign activities should cease outside of this window, to prevent the runaway rhetoric that has developed over the past couple of decades. This tragedy should be a rallying point to bring us together, not push us further a part. If both sides can't come together on what DHS has called a domestic terror attack against our political institutions by an anarchist/nihilist, then what can they come together on?