Tuesday, July 29
A Sad Sunday in Knoxville…
I assume by now you’ve heard of the tragic shooting at a church here in Knoxville.At about 10:15 am Sunday morning, a man entered the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (just 6 miles down the road from the theatre where we were worshipping) and opened fire with a shotgun.
2 people were killed, 5 were seriously injured.
The man, Jim Adkisson, is from Powell, TN (just north of the city). No reasoning could make sense of this horrific event, but here are some of his reasons according to a 4 page letter he left in his car for the police to read.
Adkisson went on a rampage at the church "because of its liberal teachings and his belief that all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, and that he felt that the Democrats had tied his country's hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of major media outlets."
Adkisson said that "that because he could not get to the leaders of the liberal movement he would then target those that had voted them in office," the search warrant states.
Police seized three books from Adkisson's home, including "The O'Reilly Factor," by television commentator Bill O'Reilly; "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder," by radio personality Michael Savage; and "Let Freedom Ring," by political pundit Sean Hannity.
I think the above added information brings out a whole other feeling of anger, hurt and sadness in me…
Here’s a link with more info…knox news
Mark Nelson at 6:33 PM 5comments
5 Comments
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at 7:13 PM
Rafael said... This was a really sad story before 10.30 am on Sunday. In light of all the flinging rhetoric in the story's aftermath, it's only getting worse. I offer my two cents here.
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at 8:49 PM
said... I can't imagine the nerve of someone to make such a harsh judgement on liberals based on there radicals. That brought adkisson to his mental demise. But, to be angry at good books seems odd to me... seems to almost do the same thing back...
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at 1:21 AM
said...
Quite honestly, if someone is a little bit crazy and on the edge anyway, reading those books and listening to right wing radio all day very well could push a person over the edge. I mean, to read these books and listen to these talk shows, you could very easily believe that anyone who could in any way be considered liberal is a horrible and evil person.
I would like to think that something like this would cause those like Savage and O'Reilly to take a look in the mirror but I'm smart enough to know that it isn't going to happen.-
at 12:24 PM
Mark Nelson said...
My anger, angst, etc. is not at a book, or an author, but probably more at a culture that can be so easily influenced by others' thinking and prejudices...we've lost the capacity to think, to reason...and it's fascinating that when these abilities are lost that so many times it ends up resulting in absolute, most often times unexplainable hatred.
Although, if Mike & Mike on ESPN Radio says it, I believe, I will follow, all praise and worship to Mike & Mike...and to Colin Cowherd, 'The Holy Sports Trinity'...-
at 8:57 AM
Rob said...
Did we ever really have the ability to think or to reason? Have there not always been these sort of crimes? It's not Bill O'Reilly's fault or Marylin Manson or Ozzy Osbourn. There are always going to be seriously disturbed people like this guy who blame all of life's problems on other people. It has happened all throughout history and it isn't going to stop.
As for myself, I would much rather stick with the Holy Trinity of sports then listen to pundits or commentators on either side of the aisle. As long as Brett Favre is alive, we will have plenty to keep us interested.
As a side note, Colin Cowherd read one of my e-mails on the air and he actually didn't make fun of me!