We’ve already seen that the comparison between blaming Palin for Gabby Giffords’ shooting is inappropriate. And while Palin’s map had the media in a tizzy for weeks, they never blamed (or even covered, really) the Southern Poverty Law Center, much less any broader movement, for putting out a “hate map” that led one activist to shoot up Family Research Council. So that’s not a comparison we can make either.
But it is true that we’ve routinely seen the pro-life movement blamed for the violence perpetrated by solo activists against abortion clinics and those that end unborn lives via abortion. And the members of the pro-life civil rights movement can assure you how frustrating and unfair that is.
Conservatives are probably always going to be blamed by the New York Times for any and all ills, no matter how far-fetched the claim will be. But those who believe in individual responsibility can’t pick and choose when to believe in it. These cops were killed by one man, acting alone. We will likely learn more in the days to come about his political inclinations, his mental state, and his response to political rhetoric. If there is one thing that fair-minded people have learned from the media’s rush to blame conservatives for any and all violence, it’s that the actual story usually ranges from complete fabrication to very complicated tale.
Yes, the media and those activists who hold double standards should be held to account. But there is very little to gain by actually falling down the rabbit hole of reflexive movement blaming with them.
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