Now is the winter

This winter of discontent, not yet made summer by this son of York, has brought us violence in Arizona. Given the level of political rhetorical heat the past few years, and the ready availability of handguns in our culture, how can anyone claim that this event was somehow unanticipated. Only when we divorce ourselves from the reality of our words can we assume the position of irresponsibility that has been the hallmark of much of the so-called political discourse of late. People like Palin plaster gunsights on top of congressional district maps, speak freely of reloading, dog whistle their enmity to their followers, and when someone steps over the boundary and actually follows through on the threats, the ones like her who have helped poison the atmosphere back off and issue faint disclaimers. These people will ultimately be repudiated at the ballot box, because the Jeffersonian idea of free discussion of ideas will prevail, as the good ideas rise to the top, and the bad sink like a stone.