April 2011 - Centre for Civil Society - University of KwaZulu-Natal

hetoric, that worships gun culture, that has particular ferocity in the
state of Arizona, and that never ever apologizes for anything." (Guardian
11 January 2011)
Since January 2009, when Obama took the oath of office, there have been
(excluding the attack against Giffords) at least seven separate cases of
political murder and dozens of attacks by unhinged right-wing elements.
The reason why there have been so many killing sprees can be attributed
to the deep economic crisis, as well as the rise of extremist right wing
rhetoric, in the mass media. It is important to note that during the recent
midterm elections, sections of the Tea Party movement and at least one
Republican senatorial candidate were calling publicly for a “Second
Amendment solution” to the political issues – i.e. the use of firearms.
It should also be noted that the killing spree took place in Arizona, site of
the extreme right-wing “deport them all” immigration bill of SB 1070. This
law would target not only immigrants but also those who looked
“suspicious” of being undocumented. This contributed to the atmosphere
of racism and tension in this state.
In a period of unprecedented economic crisis and mass unemployment,
right wing demagogues like Sarah Pallin, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and
Michael Savage among many others, have used Rupert Murdock’s Fox News
and the vast right wing network of corporate-funded radio programs and
blogs to target immigrants, homosexuals, socialists, public sector workers,
unions and progressive activists. The election of Bill Clinton in 1992 was
also followed by a vicious upsurge of political tensions and polarization
from the right wing that culminated in the Oklahoma City federal building
bombing in 1995 with hundreds of deaths of innocent workers including
children.
The Assassin
The New York Times and Fox News both reported that the 22-year old
Loughner may have links to a white supremacist website (“Suspect’s Odd
Behavior Caused Growing Alarm,” NYT, January 10, 2011). Other evidence
also point to connections between Loughner and extreme right wing
influences, including references to “treasonous” laws by the government,
currencies not backed by gold, the “second” US Constitution, government
mind control, etc. (NYT, January 10, 2011)
It is true that many of Loughner’s ideas are delusional and deranged, more
laced with conspiracy theories than overtly political. But that is not the
whole story. Crucial to understanding these events is the political climate.
Giffords, a Jewish, conservative Democratic congresswoman, had just won
a close election against a right-wing Tea Party extremist candidate.
According to the New York Times, there had been threats of violence,
including the smashing of the plate glass window of her Tucson office last
March, because Giffords supported Obama’s health care bill, and opposed
Arizona’s racist anti-immigrant profiling law. Due to the threats of
violence, Giffords herself had said that she was armed and would defend
herself if attacked.
At his first press conference, the sheriff of Pima County Clarence Dupnik
spoke openly of the “the vitriol and rhetoric that we hear day in and day
out from the people in the radio business and some people in the TV
business,” which he said was related to the attack. Referring to racist
measures against immigrants, he said that the state of Arizona has
“become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry.” The sheriff was referring
to the anti-immigrant hysteria and the activities of armed vigilantes along