I have nothing pithy to say here. I just wanted to note that the other two victims of the Planned Parenthood attack have been identified tonight.
University police officer Garrett Swasey, father of two.
Mother of two , Jennifer Markovsky
Ke’Arre Stewart, an Army veteran who served in Iraq and the father of two children
When I was a kid, we were stationed in Colorado Springs, it was one of my favorite places and I have fond memories of the military community there. This shooting and the whole charade of “what could possibly be the gunman’s motive” has fractured me a bit. Why am I surprised by the lack of outrage from people, who a week ago were painting themselves in the French flag? Black Friday indeed.
redshirt
No one here cares enough to actually make a difference.
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: The fuck?
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@redshirt: Really?
JPL
Six children lost a parent…
Hildebrand
Sorry to go off topic – University of Chicago cancelled classes tomorrow due to a legitimate threat of ‘gun violence’ that they received from the FBI. My son is a student there, was on his way back to campus (via bus) when he received the email from the university President. Thankfully, we have family at one of the stops along the route before he got to Chicago, so he is getting off the bus now, and we will wait this out. His friends (including his girlfriend) have all checked in, and are hunkered down in their dorms, or waiting it out where they had spent the weekend. Hoping for the best.
pat
I think maybe using the term “planned parenthood victims” confuses the issue. Of course the extremists see the zygotes as the victims.
These people are victims of domestic terrorism, period.
redshirt
What difference will your blog posts make?
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: What difference does your comment make?
This blog is actually read by a decent number of people. Posting something here can raise awareness and pass on information.
Mike in NC
Colorado Springs has long been a magnet for religious extremism.
Gin & Tonic
@redshirt: How do you know what people on this blog do when not on this blog?
SiubhanDuinne
@redshirt:
WHAT!?
Edit: Or what Omnes, efg, and Bella Q said.
SiubhanDuinne
@Hildebrand:
That’s scary stuff. I’m glad your son is safe, and hope to hear from you very soon that the girlfriend and everyone else on campus is out of harm’s way. Please keep us posted as you learn more.
SiubhanDuinne
@JPL:
That struck me, too. Six newly-orphaned children. But Carly and Hucksterbee and the shooter and their ilk are all so very concerned and caring about life.
Hildebrand
@SiubhanDuinne: Will do. The threat was worryingly precise – Monday at 10am on the Quad (essentially right outside of my son’s dorm). Glad the President cancelled everything.
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: Maybe someone is riled up.
schrodinger's cat
@redshirt: Turn on the heat, hypothermia seems to be getting to you.
Mike J
Cop Killer Carly says killing cops is bad. “Any protesters should always be peaceful. Whether it’s Black Lives Matter or pro-life protesters. ”
So he was just over enthusiastic, if that’s what he was doing at all.
redshirt
@schrodinger’s cat: How so? Isn’t this obvious? How many more shootings need to prove the point that one side is already waging war?
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: What do you mean by that?
bago
The thing is, this is only the beginning of the hurt for the survivors. Some may never be able to call Colorado Springs their home again.
Mike J
@Mike J: Pardon me, my previous should have read Cop Killer Carly, just for transfer of google juice.
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: The point you seem to being trying to make in this comment was not remotely obvious from your earlier comments in this thread.
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: Why do only liberals feel fear?
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: Non sequitur alert. What are you talking about?
JPL
@redshirt: Everyone feels fear, but only one party uses that to their advantage. imo…
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: You know exactly what I’m talking about, but don’t want to say it.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
@redshirt: He does? I sure as hell don’t so perhaps you might explain.
scav
Is redhirt about to be described as gentle in an upcoming news report? The disjointing babbling is down pat. Or has the wine been looked upon when it matches the shirt?
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: No, what are you trying to say? I am missing your point. Obviously. Because what I am reading is is that you are saying that no one who is reading this blog gives a shit. And you can’t mean that because that would simply warrant a “fuck you, you fucking asshole, you don’t know what I do in meat space, so fuck you with a rusty farm implement, you fuck,” type of response.
Mike J
@scav: 18 out of 29 comments blooped out of existence with the troll be gone filter.
Omnes Omnibus
Moi, I think redshirt might have had a few pre-Pats game and should be cut a bit of slack.
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: Yes, I’m saying what no one dares say. It’s time we go on the offensive.
Mike J
@Omnes Omnibus: I had several during the Hawks-Stillers. Am I slack?
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: Then you are inarticulate.
Pogonip
Tamara, if it makes you feel any better, I’m (more) outraged (than usual).
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: Probably.
Adam L Silverman
The deceased are one police officer, one military spouse (based on the picture), and one veteran. Should be interesting watching folks tie themselves into knots trying to finagle their responses to this. These are supposed to be the people that are held up as special: cop and pastor, military spouse/Household 6, and a veteran. But… they were all killed by someone who was trying to ensure there would be no more baby parts. Its going to be one helluva mess…
And lost in all of it are going to be the families. Or the vultures will circle to try to pull them in whatever direction they think will bring them the greatest benefit. At the end of the day there are now three holes that can’t ever be filled. And while that’s the only thing that should matter, we all know that everyone is just waiting to watch the circus.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mike J: Superchunk! Long time no hear.
Nate Dawg
@efgoldman: I told him last week to turn the heat on. I would add to this “and now turn the computer off.”
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: It you want to say something, then say it. Because if you hint around things, my “fuck you, you fuck” comment comes into play.
schrodinger's cat
Who will hang this around Carpy Fiorina’s neck?
rikyrah
@JPL:
Think about that.
Six children have had the security of a parent ripped away from them.
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m too cowardly.
Gin & Tonic
@Omnes Omnibus: I like your theory about pre-gaming perhaps a bit too much. In which case DNFTT rules would be best.
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: If you want to play it that way… Or you could make your point.
Matt McIrvin
Bob McManus, is that you?
Omnes Omnibus
@Gin & Tonic: Will do – from now on.
JPL
@Adam L Silverman: After tomorrow morning, this act of terrorism won’t be mentioned. When the white supremacists fired and shot five during a rally, how much attention did the news pay? Seriously, it is more important that ISIL is going to chop our heads off.
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: That may very well be.
Omnes Omnibus
@JPL: Woohoo for the cult of the savvy and the cynical.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Nate Dawg: Maybe the computer was providing the only warmth. Yup, he should turn on the heat.
max
@Matt McIrvin: Bob McManus, is that you?
No anime references that I can see.
max
[‘Maybe he just wants to practice of the dark fascism of man.’]
Adam L Silverman
@efgoldman: If only we were armed.
redshirt
@Omnes Omnibus: Liberal Revolution Now!
redshirt
Gronk is injured. All is woe.
Matt McIrvin
@max: I always thought he was more into Sixties New Wave literary SF. Maybe those were just the references I caught.
gwangung
@efgoldman: We can’t even hang this on anti-abortion necks, let alone specific candidates.
Omnes Omnibus
@redshirt: Purple Dinner Yesterday!
Adam L Silverman
@efgoldman: well there’s that, but also the fact that those freaking out the most that we’re going to all be killed are the ones who usually claimed to be armed out the wazoo and prepared to use them.
Omnes Omnibus
@Adam L Silverman: IWO cowards.
Nate Dawg
Redshirt is looking like a long-game troll. I vaguely remember him rambling about needing to take the fight to be right on some other thread but it didn’t get much response. He’s done a better job here of capturing everyone’s attention by turning it personal with O2.
Frankly, he’s got the whole Kazinski thing down with the living-in-woods-no-heat, hardcore liberal story.
Red Shirt might be a bit too trolly of a name though, but good effort.
Omnes Omnibus
@Nate Dawg: Nah. Drunk asshole long term commenter.
JPL
@efgoldman: It didn’t even take ISIL.. . fkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkfkkfkfkfkfkf
BillinGlendaleCA
@efgoldman: You know, some of us are gun owners and actually are in favor of gun control.
Adam L Silverman
@Omnes Omnibus: So they’re really scared of the inland waterway organization?
max
@Matt McIrvin: I always thought he was more into Sixties New Wave literary SF. Maybe those were just the references I caught.
I saw some of that to, but he mostly seemed to be channeling some of the more off-Kilter Trots. But lately he’d been on about Japan and anime.
max
[‘I kind of miss McManus.’]
Omnes Omnibus
@JPL: Some fans handled the loss of Jordy Nelson without a freak out. Learn to deal.
Omnes Omnibus
@Adam L Silverman: Commenters here have weird priorities.
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: I believe I successfully avoided sex identifiers. Didn’t I?
Adam L Silverman
@Omnes Omnibus: too much pie this weekend. Its starting to effect my ability to function.
max
@efgoldman: I would guess it’s no harder for a progressive to get a phallic substitute than it is for a RWNJ NRA worshiper.
Something wrong with knives? Knives work pretty good for most purposes.
max
[‘Ban guns! Legalize excessive cutlery!’]
Nate Dawg
@efgoldman: *that’s* unexpected. Maybe just a clerical error?
Omnes Omnibus
@Adam L Silverman: You’ll fit in well.
JPL
@Omnes Omnibus: I know.. it’s only a game …. plus they only have a dozen on injured reserve.. what’s a few more.
Omnes Omnibus
@JPL: And yet you are making excuses.
redshirt
F these refs.
Go Pats!
JPL
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m gonna use Adam’s excuse. I had chocolate cream pie but not your normal chocolate cream pie, but dark chocolate cream pie.
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: I made a caramel apple pie and a pumpkin pie. They are both good, but the caramel apple came out amazing! I impressed myself.
redshirt
Its like cheating.
Matt McIrvin
@Nate Dawg: Maybe he’s the COINTELPRO plant.
redshirt
No, it is cheating. The only way the Pats lost that game.
VFX Lurker
I’m feeling sadness right now more than anything else.
I saw an interesting thing on my Facebook feed. A graphic implored its readers to ignore the “liberal” and “conservative” media, and just to look at the “facts.” It then compared the terrorist to the police officer he killed.
I wondered what the point of the graphic was. Then I realized that the graphic noted that the slain officer was “pro-life.” I think the graphic was an attempt to scrub the “pro-life” label clean of any association with the terrorist.
Gretchen
I recently listened to an episode of the storytelling podcast, Tell the Bartender. It involved someone trying to return a phone she found on the subway. It turned out to belong to the girlfriend of the son of a first-responder who died on 9/11. The son was a young child at the time, and never got over his loss. His life was a mess of drug addiction. When we mourn the actual people who died, we forget the damage to those close to them, who don’t necessarily ever get over the loss.
bago
@Gretchen: You have that right. Nobody chronicles the lives of the survivors of a mass shooting.
Ruckus
@bago:
It’s like vets with PTSD. Who wants to know about that? Let’s just give them a parade and sign up their kids for the next war.
The issue is that if we talk about the victims, we have to recognize the causes of the reason they are victims and pay for the treatment and better still, attempt to mitigate the causes. Wingers don’t like to talk about the possibility that their actions and words might be the cause of suffering, it might mean they have to take responsibility and that is completely against their principles.
Another Holocene Human
@schrodinger’s cat: The good news is that she held an “ask iCarly” event on Twitter twatter over the weekend and some people asked the obvious question.
The media will likely avoid it, though. Talking about reality gives white people bad feels in their thinky place.
Another Holocene Human
@Ruckus:
They’re too lazy and selfish for that. Better to obsess over unreasonable fears, get that adrenaline thrill AND derail everyone else.
Ksmiami
Before I head off to the suck — what if our side uses this opportunity to go nuclear on the right wing “pro-life” (forced birth) movement the way the right went after groups like the weathermen and the black panthers to discredit liberals. It will take massive social media etc. but why can’t we bring up how hideous they are with their slut-shaming and esp now murderous tactics. Plus most of these extremists are tried and true death penalty cheerleaders. We need to stand up and fully slander them. They killed innocents they saved no one.
Matt McIrvin
@Ksmiami: Well, people tried to do this back in the 1990s after some murders of abortion providers and people at Planned Parenthood clinics, and then when Ted Kaczynski started blowing people up again and got his manifesto printed, there were some arguments that if anti-abortion advocates were to blame for abortion-clinic killings, then environmentalists and leftist social critics were equally to blame for Kaczynski.
If you tally up bodies, right-wing terrorists have killed way more people in the past few decades, but it’s hardly a contest.
scav
@VFX Lurker: I’ve. noticed efforts along those lines too. A single individual randomly killed on the job is somehow emblematic of the movement unlike the single individual doing the shotting and following throgh on the rhetoric. Also unlike the other two victims who do not in themthelves represent the people using Planned Parenthood who are still assumed to be child-hating murdering sluts.
FortGeek
My takeaway: On Nov. 27, 2015, the Republican Party murdered three parents, then spent the weekend waiting for Morning Joke, Limbaugh and Manatee to tell them how to spin it so it’s not their fault.