Finally saw it (no spoilers)

[justcarol67]

> Carol:
> Â 
> Maybe we can talk on the OT list about how to deal with all the hatred. I don't think the ugly political rhetoric of this last election had anything to do with the shootings, but it's a problem in itself. (I won't even touch the topic of Arizona's lax gun laws for fear of stirring up a hornet's nest.)
> 
> Sartoris:
> Â 
> In some ways, it is appropriate to discuss Deathly Hallows in relationship to hateful language because the film goes to great lengths to show the negative consequences of “mudblood” and “pureblood” rhetoric.   Consider all the "mudblood" rhetoric Draco spews throughout the films, only to discover he isn't prepared to deal with the consequences of where such rhetoric leads.As the Nazi rhetoric of “pure” and “dirty” blood led to unspeakable atrocities, the Deatheaters’  bloodlines rhetoric leads to muggles being captured,  interrogated, imprisoned, and killed.  Although we don’t know what rhetoric influenced the shooter in Tucson, we can take this opportunity to examine how we talk to and about each other. In this respect, Deathly hallows serves as a cautionary tale.

Carol responds:

I think the rhetoric in question (which may or may not have influenced the shooter) was the extremely ugly political campaign ads for the recent election, some of which targeted Gabrielle Giffords directly or indirectly (most notoriously, the cross-hairs over her/my Congressional district on Sarah Palin's website). I think it's wrong to blame any one group or person (other than the shooter himself, whether it's Gabby's opponent in a very close race or the Nancy Pelosi liberals that her opponent associated her with. Apparently, the shooter opposed all government and thought it violated his Constitutional rights(!). He also had the "Constitutional right" to turn in a late assignment in a college course for full credit. As for Gabby herself, she either wouldn't or couldn't answer his question, "What is government if words have no meaning," proof to his illogical mind that she was "stupid" and sufficient reason, apparently, to target her personally. It's becoming clearer and clearer that he's a mentally disturbed and very dangerous young man.

Of course, the other issues to consider are gun laws, security for politicians wanting to reach out to their constituents, recognition of and treatment for potentially dangerous mental problems, and probably others that I can't think of right now.

Sorry--I thought that I had nothing more to say! At any rate, it's not a question of racial epithets along the lines of "Mudbloods."

Carol, apologizing for discussing this topic in the wrong forum