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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah community activist says harsh language over political issues could be to blame for the Arizona shooting spree that killed six people and left several wounded. Among the wounded, Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
John Kessler, president of the Salt Lake Center for Engaging Community, says there are several factors that contribute to violent acts in politics. For instance, he believes the media and politicians should account for some of the blame for these violent acts.
I think people who are in the public forum have to realize that they have the right to say whatever they want, but their words have impact.
–John Kessler, community activist
#quote_kessler
"I think people who are in the public forum have to realize that they have the right to say whatever they want, but their words have impact," he says.
But Kessler believes the public also has to blame themselves.
"If the American public wasn't allowing their leadership to behave the way they are or gobbling up these extreme cable news channels, then it [violence] wouldn't be happening as much," Kessler says.
However, he does admit it's hard to pinpoint the root cause of violent behavior in political discourse.
Ultimately, Kessler believes it becomes the responsibility of all Americans to learn for themselves the true meaning of democracy.
Related:
Shootings unlikely to increase security long term
Some believe the angry political climate in recent years may have helped spark Saturday's attack on an Arizona congresswoman, but a big security overhaul for politicians seems unlikely."Inherent in that education is learning how to talk to one another, and talk to people who are very different than you," Kessler says. "I don't think our political leaders would be deteriorating if our citizenry weren't deteriorating. We get the leaders we deserve, is the old saying."
Kessler says some people lack the maturity necessary to sort through political rhetoric.
"The whole point of developing maturity as a citizen is that we should be learning in our schools, which we're not learning very well, is to listen to what other people have to say and to reason and to come together," Kessler says.
It's that collapse in maturity and understanding, according to Kessler, that could lead to future violence.
"There's been a more primitive, one-sided cultural environment of discourse," he says, "which has kind of been ruining our democracy and causing problems like this."
"It's a matter of taking an assessment of ourselves as American citizens, and in our communities, and in our schools," Kessler continues; "laying the groundwork for something that could be revived, maybe taken to where it's never been before in terms of a responsible citizenship."
Authorities describe the accused gunman in Saturday's Tucson, Ariz. shooting as 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner. Apparently, Loughner has a troubled past that includes drug use and officials say he might be mentally ill.
E-mail: niyamba@ksl.com
