Civility is not just an eight letter word, it's a call for intelligent action

Palin. Hannity. Limbaugh. Beck. Hate talk radio. Fox News. Instigators. General haters. Republicans. With the election of America's first black president, Barack Obama, all of these individuals and organizations took their hate to a new height.

The media tiptoes through the tulips to avoid the obvious: there is a segment of the population that hates President Obama with a purple passion. That's the reason it was easy  to take advantage of tea partiers, encouraging them to hit the streets wearing ridiculous outfits, openly bearing their hate and prejudice. Their agenda? Get President Obama out of office. Push the birthers fabrication into 2012.

Gabrielle Giffords before shooting

Before the midterm elections in November the rhetoric was endless. Obama haters worked in concert to enlarge this radical movement that was more Astro Turf than grass. Even members of the Democratic party want to see the President fail. They call themselves the "Blue Dog Democrats."

Talking points were thrown from all directions. I am amazed when I read posts in newspapers and magazines that repeat the words of Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, Palin and Tea Party candidates. Protesters say they do not hate President Obama. They hate his policies. Prodded to name the policies they hate their faces go blank. They lose their voices after naming health care reform. Some admit they "took instructions from Glenn Beck." With the exception of a few young faces here and there, the majority of marchers were older people on Social Security.

Gabrielle Giffords after shooting

The malicious absurdity hit home today, Saturday 8, 2011, with the senseless shooting of Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords. In the following weeks Fox and Beck and hate talk radio will convince their followers that President Obama is going to take their guns. They will listen and start buying  more guns and ammunition. This craziness happened a year ago after a mass shooting. Gun dealers did record business.

This shooting  may be the straw that broke the camel's political back. It's already hard to get worthy people to run for office. In addition to threats of danger, candidates are at the mercy of  the media and its willingness to shovel dirt to dig up a scandal. And now the tone of the country is to kill and threaten politicians who vote their own conscious. What politician in his or her right mind is willing to walk that line, having to look over their shoulder all the time, fearful to appear in a crowd?

The price is not worth it. No politician or candidate should have to pay the price Giffords paid. The loss of common decency and intelligent discourse is our fault. We are at fault for what we let happen. We worship guns more than we worship life. Expect more gun violence to come.