Twenty-two-year old Jared Loughner is charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted assassination in the shooting spree that killed six people and wounded 14 others, including Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Loughner, authorities say, targeted Giffords for assassination and shot her during an outdoor constituent event at a local Tucson, Arizona shopping center on Saturday. Among the victims were nine-year-old Christina Green, born on September 11, 2001, and federal Judge John Roll, a native Pennsylvanian.
Although law enforcement officials have found no direct connection between Loughner and any particular political party or ideology, Republicans and Democrats traded barbs this week about heated political rhetoric as a possible spark to his rage. After the health-care overhaul law passed last year, Sarah Palin's PAC posted a target map on Facebook that depicted 20 Congressional districts in the cross hairs. Among them was the district of Rep. Giffords. Palin and her aides deny the site was intended to evoke violent imagery or to incite anyone to nefarious action. Critics say such tactics can inflame the mentally unstable to violence. Other voices note the long history of combat metaphors in political campaigns.
Former Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper of Erie also was on Palin's political target list after voting for the health-care bill. She lost in her bid to continue representing Pennsylvanians in the 3rd District. Dahlkemper was Giffords' roommate for a time in Washington, DC. She will appear on the program via satellite from Pittsburgh to share her thoughts on the tragedy and the way forward for elected officials.
Allegheny College in Meadville, PA has conducted several national surveys and studies on civility in politics. Tim Reeves, an Allegheny graduate, is chief executive officer of the advertising and public relations firm Neiman Group in Harrisburg and chair of WITF's board of directors. He will join us to discuss the college's research findings and the use of fighting words and war-related metaphors in public-issue and electoral campaigns. Reeves had served as press secretary and director of communications for Republican Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. (Note: I served as deputy director of communications under Reeves.)
Dr. Alan Gelenberg, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine, also will appear on the panel to share his insights on how the community can better meet the needs of the mentally ill and protect society from those who could become violent. Gelenberg's wife, Patty, came in second to Cong. Giffords in the 2006 Democratic primary. She now works for WITF as a producer. Dr. Gelenberg served as chair of the University of Arizona Department of Psychiatry for 18 years and knows many of the individuals mentioned in news reports of the rampage. Dr. Gelenberg says Loughner "is in the age range when schizophrenia and other psychoses usually manifest themselves." Mental health officials in Arizona say Loughner's disturbing behavior was never reported to them.
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