Razing Arizona

How can we process today's news of the shootings in Tucson that left at least 5 dead and 5 critically wounded, and included a federal judge and a member of congress among the victims?

Initial reports indicate this was the work of a lone, imminently disturbed gunman. A homegrown dissident or homicidal nutjob, as the case may be.

But I have to wonder whether the hypercharged recent politics of Arizona had a role to play in triggering this outrageous and disastrous outburst. When our leaders speak so ill of each other, when political stakes in one party's plans or another's are made to seem so high, and are infused with dire urgency, can we not expect this hateful climate to affect everyone? Especially those treading the borderline of sanity?

It remains to be seen how Arizona's leaders will respond to this, beyond immediate expressions of sympathy. My guess is it will be up to the leaders of the 112th Congress and President Obama to set a better example for us all, and hope the message spreads to every state. May they do their work well ...