I haven't felt this way for a long time, but one of the reasons (there were many shifting ones depending on circumstances) I blogged anonymously for awhile was, I think, a legitimate fear of violence. There was intensity leading up to the Iraq war. The Keyboard Kommandos were doing their part to save the world by getting rid of Saddam Hitler, and even though their team controlled everything and their lovely little war was inevitable, all they could really do was direct their ire at the True Enemy: The Left.
I never received anything I'd call a death threat - people generally aren't that stupid - but back then there was an underlying current of violence in the rhetoric.
..I'm not home in front of a TV, but from the twitter CNN has witness saying multiple bodies. ugh.
...12+ people shot sez CNN witness.
...adding, I obviously have no idea who did this and what their motive was. Did not mean to attribute this necessarily to The Right. When people do this stuff I usually think The Crazy trumps whatever political motivation, though that isn't always the case.
...NPR says Giffords is dead.
...on Twitter, DNC Western States Director says source tells him gunman called out names of targets as he shot them.
...NPR saying suspect is quite young.
...local sheriff on MSNBC saying she is still alive. useful reminder that in breaking news like this all reports are suspect.
...more reports that she's in surgery, not dead (combination of twitter and email)
