ARIZONA REPRESENTATIVE SHOT - ISSUES OVERLOOKED

The media has jumped all over this tragic event, and, by innuendo suggest censorship is needed. Local power brokers, and many in Congress are hinting that censorship may be an answer. There used to be old, long forgotten, saying :

“ Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”

Sometime during the 1970's the Judiciary and Courts, jumped in and started giving relief to those claiming they were injured by “ names ”; thus changing the landscape of the U.S. forever by a back door compromise of the 1st Amendment. Vitriol ( name calling ) has been part of the U.S. landscape dating back to the days before the Declaration of Independence. Whether here in the U.S. or in other parts of the world, one unintended consequence has been bloodshed to one degree or another. Many governments suppress vitriol by force often resulting in the killing of many countrymen with opposing views. The founders of the U.S. were well aware of the consequences of adopting the 1st Amendment,but believed it a necessary price to pay for open government. Hopefully, today’s lesser minds in Congress and the Courts, will heed the wisdom of the founders of this nation, and not allow this isolated event to cloud their judgments.

There are second notes to the Arizona circumstance that the media and politicians have overlooked: the U.S. is not a democracy, it is a republic, where citizens have no direct say in the Federal government. In spite of the rhetoric by media, pundits, universities, politicians, including President's, main street U.S.A. and citizens have no U.S. Constitutional right of INITIATIVE, so are cut out of any direct way of enacting laws for their governance. Tough economic times, magnify this flaw in the U.S. Constitution, that is otherwise highlighted by the disconnect between Washington, D.C./Congress, and the people.

The media have also overlooked it's conduct in ascribing major national significance to what otherwise is a local matter. For the past 65 years the Federal Government of the U.S. has maintained a policy of killing the messenger. WWII: U.S. and Japan, President Truman, enamored with Winston Churchill’s concept of “ unconditional surrender ”, orders the atom bomb to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing well over one-hundred thousand Japanese civilians. The U.S. has been at the forefront of first demonizing leaders and nations with opposing views, then classifying them as “ enemy ”, then attacking and killing: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the U.S. is working it's way to engage Iran and North Korea. Remember the “ trickle down” theory; it's application to economics is misplaced; does one even dare to suggest the Government's penchant for killing, just may have “ trickle down ” ramifications when it comes to the general public ?

The media, politicians and powers that be, need to take off the rose colored glasses, and take a good look in a mirror. Decades ago, Erich Fromm penned a book: “ The Sane Society ”. In society, the actions of individuals, reflect the inflictions of the whole.