Would those who blamed the incivility of public discourse for the shootings of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and several of her constituents please stand up? There are frequent violent threats being made toward an important public servant, and if you wait until after he's shot or dismembered (as the threats go), it will be too late. In addition, it appears that the police are ambivalent about maintaining order and protecting this figure from the threats.
Personally, I think this overheated rhetoric reflects mainly on the character of the speakers (or lack thereof), and is unlikely to lead to actual killing (likewise, that it played little or no role in the Arizona shooting). But it is far more specific and sustained than anything leveled against Giffords, so if you think incivility a serious threat, this is a very serious matter.
Hat tip to James Taranto at Best of the Web Today.
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