The Hill News

The tragedy in Tucson has put a focus on the overheated partisan debate and commentary that plagues America.  The assumption is that such a polarized political and media environment may have contributed to the shootings and deaths. It is too early to tell whether Jared Loughner’s inner demons were the sole reason he chose to shoot and kill or whether the political climate  played any role.  That is something we may never truly know. But we do know that words have consequences, that those prone to violence can be inspired by incendiary words and that hate speech has real world effects, including physical harm to people.
 
Largely overlooked in the discussion of over-the-top rhetoric, however, is how the Internet has become a massive vehicle for violence-inducing hate speech and that it also may have played a role.

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