Swine Flu updates

While millions in the UK remain unvaccinated against H1N1, good news for those who lived through it. The virus seems to result in a sort of super immunity against most other strains of flu.

Murder or Assassination

Assassination Attempt

The Right Wing (Tea Party/Sarah Palin) rhetoric did not create an extremist, but their words effectively authorize violence

US Congress member Gabrielle Giffords was shot by Jared Loughner an individual brandishing a semi automatic execution weapon. A bullet through her brain, and at this moment she is undergoing surgery in a critical condition. Among the 5 dead was a US Federal Judge.

Although it brings the gun laws into clear focus as a dangerous option in today's world, it is very unlikely to shift the view that an armed citizenry prevents invasion, and the US almost religious adherence to the risks of such a view is the correct basis in American law.

Bluntly, it is an act of terrorism and appears possibly inspired by rhetoric from the Tea Party, Sarah Palin most directly who placed advertisements with weapon sights targeting each Democrat by State. But there is no provable offense when the interpretation is causing the fanatic to attach themselves to it like a religious truth.

That could be Sarah Palin's personal 9/11 event.

"Giffords had been named as a political campaign target for conservatives in November's elections by former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin for her strong support of Obama's reforms. Palin had published a "target map" on her website using images of gun sights to identify 20 House Democrats, including Giffords, for backing the new health care law. At an event in 2009 which was similar to the one Giffords was holding today, a protester was removed by police when his pistol fell to the supermarket floor." - Guardian, UK.

It appears to be political assassination. Worse than an act of terrorism. It is an act of treason, a crime against the State, the people and the Law. A tear in the meaning of the flag.

Update: Giffords' assailant was last night named as 22-year-old Afghanistan veteran Jared Lee Loughner

Update: Sarah Palin's Facebook still shows the map with crosshairs encouraging extremists to kill politicians. The map was removed from her website.

As unlikely as it may be that this map with cross hairs and the statements that Democrats should have an M16 taken to them are the primary justification of this insane individual's acts of terrorism, the fact remains that it could cause that kind of behaviour.

Is the map with crosshairs an incitement to terrorism? Is it a hate crime or poltical dialogue? More succinctly, is it what the Tea Party want folk to consider as a solution to their woes? Whatever political leaning you have, encouraging violence like this is the voice of extremism.

For God's sake. Change the message.

Update: Jared Loughner has been charged with 5 charges, including a charge of Attempted Assassination and Murder