Please explain to me how this comment is responsible for murder: ”The actions on the part of the Florida court and the U.S. Supreme Court are unconscionable.” That’s Rick Santorum speaking about Terri Schiavo. And, well, that’s a legitimate, civil point of view.
You can argue about some other ill-advised comments from others, as we have corporately here, giving a little grief to guys we generally like a lot like John Cornyn. But, for instance, I think that Roe v. Wade is an abomination” (luckily I’m not up for a judgeship). Does that make me responsible for what some crazy person does claiming to carry some kind of “pro-life” torch (a despicable contention to those who truly work to defend life)? (Argh–I probably just gave the Democrats a new talking point on Pryor now. Not that they need the prodding, they are that unfair on their own.)
I bring this up because AOL delivers this Santorum-is-responsible-for-violence-against-judges insinuation this morning in a story on Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow’s testimony on the Hill yesterday (it’s an AP story, see here, too).
I suppose I probably take this loose you-cause-violence-against-judges stuff a little too personally because I’ve been accused of it (as has Mark Levin). But I know what I write, and I’ve read Mark’s book, and I’m pretty sure we’re in the clear there. Unless of course your position is that strong opinions are the direct cause of violence. But it seems to me, to adapt a trite but true cliché, that opinions don’t kill people, people do.
Anyway, say what you will about Rick Santorum, there aren’t too many politicians who can beat his commitment to the dignity of human life, as our mutual tradition would put it (partial-birth abortion, Laci and Conner’s Law, Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, parental notification, religious liberty in Sudan, China, North Korea…the list goes on). That AP story is reckless, if you ask me.