C’mon, can you blame them? Weren’t six people, one of them a little girl, recently murdered because Sarah Palin once used a crosshairs metaphor? Oh, right: That wasn’t the reason at all. But it could have been the reason, theoretically, just like heavy metal or action movies or porn or ultimate fighting or any of a million other cultural elements could have been the reason. That’s the thing about violent, wildly unpredictable, brain-addled lunatics: You never know what’ll set ’em off. But surely, near the very top of the list of explosive influences, must be mild-mannered political commentators on CNN casually using age-old “targeting” metaphors to talk about an upcoming campaign.

Which reminds me: Am I hallucinating or didn’t this same network once have an entire show devoted to heated political debate called … “Crossfire”? With a crosshairs logo? How did the republic survive while it was on the air?

Enjoy the clip. I’m going to go look around for Rod Serling. I keep thinking he’s ready to step out from behind a door and explain this whole episode. Click the image to watch.

Update: If you think this can’t get even more bizarre and ironic, think again.