Media Dredge Up Discredited Blood Libel Against Gov. Palin

ABC's Diane Sawyer on November 15 resurrected the blood libel leftists tried to foist on former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin after deranged gunman Jared Loughner shot Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle ("Gabby") Giffords and 19 others, killing six. Sawyers' false linkage of Gov. Palin to the shooting aired on 20/20. CNN's Piers Morgan last week jumped on the bandwagon. While Giffords' husband Mark Kelly explicitly said Gov. Palin was not responsible for the shooting, he claimed she was "irresponsible." Here are some facts as they pertain to this shooting:

• Loughner never saw SarahPAC ad which contained 20 cross hairs representing the 20 districts in which sitting Congressmen and women were "targeted" to be voted out. The campaign known as "Take Back the 20" was highly successful: 18 out of the 20 candidates Gov. Palin endorsed were elected.
• Loughner did not like or watch the news.
• Loughner did not listen to talk radio.
• Loughner had a years-long personal obsession with Giffords.
• Loughner was known by many in his circle to be mentally unstable.
• Loughner was a leftist and probably would not have been positively predisposed to Gov. Palin.

Gov. Palin addressed the blood libel in a video and a Facebook Note: Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo. Here are some facts as pertain to the SarahPAC ad:

• Both Democrats and Republicans have used cross hairs, bulls eyes, dots, and all manner of reticles on political ads for many years.
• Liberal Democrat Bob Beckel discussed Democrat use of cross hairs on Sean Hannity's TV show
• The use of cross hairs and bulls eyes was actually pioneered by a Democratic Party consultant.

See: All Cross Hairs are Equal, But Some are More Equal than Others Facts on "target" and "targeting":

• The word "targeting" has been used in political campaigns by both Democrats and Republicans since time immemorial.
• "Target" and "targeting" are key words used in sales. Salesmen and women target prospects. Their commissions are based on hitting certain targets.
• "Target" is often used synonymously with "goal."
• Politics and sales share much in common, hence the use of similar terms in both disciplines.

Facts about Gov. Palin and her political advocacy:

• Gov. Palin has never advocated, supported or promoted vigilante or mob justice.
• Gov. Palin has always advocated following established legal and political processes.
• Gov. Palin has on numerous occasions condemned the use of violence to achieve political objectives.
• Gov. Palin has on numerous occasions said that our arms (weapons) are our ballots.
• Gov. Palin is a responsible leader who knows and understands her words influence others to action. Gov. Palin has never and would never encourage or counsel anyone to break the law or engage in unethical acts.

Facts about Gov. Palin, Conservatives and Violence:

• Gov. Palin and members of her family have been targeted for violence numerous times in these past three years. Prior to announcing her decision to not seek the GOP nomination in 2012, threats, death wishes and hate speech against Gov. Palin were routine on Facebook and Twitter. Even post-announcement, haters still make threats.
• The Undefeated begins with a montage of some of the most hateful and violent rhetoric that has been directed at Gov. Palin and her family. This hateful imagery and rhetoric was so disturbing that the theater version of the movie would have had an NC-17 rating if ran uncut.
• Tea Party rallies and other conservative events are self-policed, sanitary and conducted in compliance with the law. I have yet to hear of an arrest made at a Tea Party rally.
• Leftists are responsible for most violence and the threats of violence. This was going on with the "Occupy" protests in cities throughout the country. Violent confrontations with police, rapes, sexual assaults, and destruction of private and public property were staples of "Occupy" protests. Occupy protesters have gone on record as wanting to firebomb businesses, burn cities down, and one has expressed a wish that 9/11 would have occurred 911 more times.