Photo courtesy of AP 

I'm talking to you, Republican politicians and Republican voters.  Directly to you.  People are dead, and public officials are critically injured by a shooter, and you  bear some of the blame.

I don't give a rip that it pisses you off that I point this out.  It's true.  Deal with it.  Words have power.  Power has responsibility.  Actions have consequences.  Consequences require an acknowledgement of responsibility.  Time to acknowledge.

For decades--decades!--Republicans have been using the language of fear and violence and anger (sometimes coded, but more often not), to whip their followers into a frenzy of rage and anger and hate.  Cynically.  To get power, and keep power.  But this language has power.  Power to influence.  And it causes actions.  And these actions have consequences. 

One of those consequences is a critically-gunshot Democratic representative lying in surgery, fighting for her life.  Feel guilt, right-wingers; feel guilt. 

Yes, some Democrats and Democratic voters have used the language of violence, too.  Stipulated.  But let's have no bullshit false equivalence here--using the language of violence and revolution and fear is part of the Republican DNA.  They use it all the time.  If Democrats use it too, that's just as wrong.  But Republicans use it all the time.   From "2nd Amendment remedies" to "lock and load" to the Bush/Cheney "wolves at your door" ad, Republicans do it all the time.  YOU, right-wingers:  YOU bear the burden of this.  Don't you dare try to wiggle out, or deny, or obfuscate, or change the subject.  YOU are the party of fear, anger, and violence.  Deal with it.

I am so sick and tired of everyone--particularly the pundits--treating this kind of story as isolated "tragic accidents" that have nothing whatsoever to do with how Republican politicians have whipped their followers into a state of inchoate rage.  I am sick and tired of Republican politicians trying to wriggle out of taking any kind of responsibility for the anger and hate that they have knowingly contributed to.  I am sick and tired of Republican voters not demanding accountability from their representatives for the terrible, vicious, and inflammatory language that they have used for so long.  I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more.

You sowed the wind, Republicans; now we are all reaping the whirlwind.  You bear the guilt; you bear the blame; you bear the cost.  Deal with it, and for once in your bullying, cowardly lives, acknowledge it and do something about it.