This is not what we want

Like most Americans, I am beyond angry at the actions in Arizona that took the lives of six people and wounded many others. One crucial portion of my beliefs, both political and religious, is that every life is important and valuable to God and to others.

That, apparently, this happened by someone that is claiming to be influenced by the conservative political movement is a disturbing situation.  Although someone that claims to have hated all religions and smoked marijuana, according to one of his acquaintances, hardly seems like a poster boy of the Tea Party. 

It leas to this question: when people talk about political targeting and a grassroots revolution, is this what we want?  Are we really wanting to see unarmed civilians gunned down? Congress people and judges killed?

If your answer is "this is what I want" then you are not what we, the American people, want.  One of the hallmarks of American democracy is peaceful transition of power. Peaceful.  As in, while we may fuss and whine, we do not take to shooting.

Seriously.  Even the American Revolution was fought as a war, even if the tactics varied from the normal warfare of the time.  This is not the resistance. This is not a war.

Now, part of the problem is this: all sides of American politics have taken to extreme rhetoric.  We've talked about "class warfare" and "revolution" and "taking a stand."  And the time may come for such terms to really matter, really apply.

But it's time to dial back from this and the other extreme rhetoric.  I've already begun to see it online: "Obama will use this to take our guns" "they'll be after all of us now" and other such. 

People, there are enough real issues with the policies and politics of the present administration without resorting to exaggerating their decisions.  And there are plenty of opportunities to deal with these actions at the ballot box.

There are things that are evil enough to take up arms to stop. However, while I even see abortion as a great evil, we have not exhausted all legal efforts to stop it, and so even that does not rate the violent actions people have taken against abortion clinics and abortionists.

All the more when people start shooting at Congresswomen over the healthcare vote or whatever this guy's issue was.  It's nonsense.

You do not launch a pre-emptive strike of a revolution.  That makes you a criminal. That makes you, perhaps, a terrorist.  It puts you squarely against the American ideal of the rule of law.  This puts you against the idea that all lives are precious.

And entitles you to forfeit yours.  Whatever your reasons, your purposes, or prior problems, here's to see justice work in the situation: you did it.  There is no doubt you did it.  May a jury of Americans convict you and sentence you, and may your time in prison be long enough to make your peace with God before you meet Him.