Jumping to conclusions about Ariz. shooting

Regarding the senseless murders in Arizona ["Shooting spree suspect in court," News, Jan. 11], there is still no evidence that the killer had any connection to conservative politics. Yet, in the initial reporting, the first stories brought up a possible link to Sarah Palin's map of targeted congressional races. Any sane person knows that when political campaigns (both sides) use words like target in focusing on certain races, there is no intent to do violence but to win the election through votes.

Isn't the purpose of news reporting to give the facts and not speculate without any evidence? Offering unproven conjecture only adds fuel to the increasingly angry and uncivil public discourse that they blame for this crime.

Don Karlsen

Farmingdale

A lone gunman shoots 20 people in Arizona, killing six of them, and his act is blamed almost immediately on (choose one or more): Sarah Palin, the tea party, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, talk radio.

Even as evidence mounts that the killer appears to be in the grip of some psychosis, the chorus from the left continues to look for political targets on the right, and Democratic Party operatives, according to news reports, are looking for ways to tie this tragedy to the tea party. Some liberal columnists are already ruminating on how President Barack Obama can turn this to his political advantage.

All we know for certain at this point is that the alleged killer has been deteriorating mentally for the last year or so, based on his behavior and his online rants. He fixated on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords because he's nuts, not because he's political, no matter how much some political opportunists wish him to be.

This is a horrible tragedy allegedly perpetrated by a mentally disturbed individual. To turn it into something else for political advantage is loathsome.

Christine Mullaney

Garden City

The letter stating "blood is on the hands of the tea party and right wing of the Republican Party" ["Outrage over Ariz. shootings," Jan. 11] is ridiculous and mean-spirited. The tea party (the party of common sense) and Republican Party surely are saddened by this tragedy.

Gary Kordes

Holbrook

The political climate of hate may or may not have something to do with the shootings in Tucson. We can't know that for sure. But this we know: The bullets did kill, did cause damage, did cause our country to recoil in horror.

This too we should know: The political climate of hate can kill the rational discussion of important issues. It can unfairly damage careers in public service. It can cause good, talented, well-motivated people to recoil in horror from the thought of entering into that political climate of hate. And our nation is the worse off for it.

Nancy Dwyer

Valley Stream

All of us can agree that the shootings and killings in Arizona were senseless and despicable. What is almost as troubling - and evidence of the hate in America - is the knee-jerk reaction of the media and the liberals.

For some reason, they are quick to blame the right, the tea party and others, all this without a scintilla of evidence of proof. Thankfully Walt Handelsman's cartoon on Tuesday was a voice of clarity.

John Savin

Massapequa