Arizona

CONGRESSWOMAN IS SHOT IN RAMPAGE NEAR TUCSON

Tucson – Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, and 18 others were shot Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire outside a supermarket where Ms. Giffords was meeting with constituents. Six of the victims died . . .

New York Times, page one, Jan. 9, 2011

Arizona

democracy

in the cross hairs

At the website maintained by the political action committee of Sarah Palin, former half-term governor of Alaska, along with the slogan "DON'T RETREAT, RELOAD," one could until recently have found a map that showed selected congressional districts through what appeared to be the cross hairs of a rifle. One of these was the district Gabrielle Giffords represents. (Reportedly, as of the morning of Jan. 9, the map could still be seen at Palin's Facebook page.)

Weaponry was also a theme of the unsuccessful election campaign run by Ms. Giffords' Republican opponent, Jesse Kelly.

According to the Arizona Daily Star:

"Kelly's campaign event website has a stern-looking photo of the former Marine in military garb holding his weapon. It includes the headline: Get on Target f0r Victory in November. Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M 16 with Jesse Kelly."

The event was scheduled for June 12, 2010. It cost $50

Score one for Jesse and Sarah.