The Other Tragedy of the Tennessee Church Shootings

July 27, 2008, 58-year-old Jim Adkisson walked into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church during a children's show and opened fire with a shotgun he had concealed in a guitar case. Adkisson killed two people and wounded six others before being wrestled to the ground.

He had hoped to be killed himself, being distraught over being unable to find a job, but he was subdued before the police could arrive. The motive behind the method of his death wish, however, is just as disturbing. From Huffington Post:

"Adkisson targeted 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 media outlets.'

"Adkisson told (Police Officer) Still that 'he could not get to the leaders of the liberal movement that he would then target those that had voted them in to office.'"

Ironically, he was also angered that his food stamps ran out, a public assistance program that most liberals support and conservatives abhor.

Adkisson targeted this church because he knew that he would find liberals there. The Unitarian Universalist (UU) churches across the nation are known for welcoming all kinds of people. What particularly upset Adkisson is that they welcome gays into their church. UU President William G. Sinkford said, “It will take time for Unitarian Universalists to mourn and to heal. But let me assure you that we will not change our beliefs or compromise our demands for social justice. Fear will not prevent us from standing on the side of love, and we will continue to open our doors and our hearts to all people.

Were Adkisson’s actions those of a deranged man? Perhaps the better question is; Who pushed him to this? Where did he get these ideas?

You don’t have to look far to find out. He purposely left his house unlocked and certain books in clear view to make it clear what his message was. Again, from Huffington Post:

Inside [Adkisson’s] house, officers found "Liberalism is a Mental Health Disorder" by radio talk show host Michael Savage, "Let Freedom Ring" by talk show host Sean Hannity, and "The O'Reilly Factor," by television talk show host Bill O'Reilly.

I think it’s a safe bet that Adkisson is also a fan of Rush Limbaugh and other radio talk show personalities like him. They are part of a group of far right wing talk show hosts and political pundits who dominate AM radio and Fox News. Here’s a sample of some the venomous rhetoric directed at liberals that’s standard fare in a typical show for one of these very popular talk show hosts.

"I’ll tell you who should be tortured and killed at Guantanamo — every filthy Democrat in the U.S. Congress." — Sean Hannity

"To fight only the al-Qaeda scum is to miss the terrorist network operating within our own borders... Who are these traitors? Every rotten radical left-winger in this country, that's who." — Michael Savage

"Liberalism is the greatest threat this country faces." — Rush Limbaugh

"I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. No, I think I could." — Glenn Beck

"We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed, too." — Ann Coulter

"There are things in life worth fighting and dying for and one of ‘em is making sure Nancy Pelosi doesn’t become the [House] speaker." — Sean Hannity

These media bottom-dwellers have been flourishing since the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine twenty plus years ago relieved media outlets of the requirement to present both sides of an issue. As far as I know this is the first time anyone has acted on their hate. But is it any wonder that someone finally carried out the rants of the far right? This kind of smut and filth passes for journalism in some circles. The airwaves are crowded with self-proclaimed conservative commentators who are really nothing more than self-important windbags and loud-mouthed know-it-alls who make a living doing nothing but trash talking an entire class of people (liberals and democrats) all the while whining about how liberal the media is. Is it comedic, vaudevillian, Don Ricklesesque humor? Or is it not unlike the tactics Hitler used in Nazi Germany to stir up hatred for Jews by blaming all the countries ailments on that group of people. It’s designed to whip their audiences into a frenzy and spur action. Unfortunately for two members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, it worked on Jim Adkisson.

The foundation for the confrontation between liberals and conservatives can be found in the definition of the word liberal. From Columbia encyclopedia:

“Liberalism: philosophy or movement that has as its aim the development of individual freedom…Often opposed to liberalism is the doctrine of conservatism, which, simply stated, supports the maintenance of the status quo. Liberalism, which seeks what it considers to be improvement or progress, necessarily desires to change the existing order.”

Conservative blogger, Justin Quinn, wrote:

“People outside the conservative movement should be aware that the despicable actions allegedly carried out by Adkisson in no way reflect any conservative ideology, nor does this murderous rampage represent the kind of protest advocated by even the most angry of conservative intellectuals… In the end, Adkisson's alleged rampage should be seen not as a conservative protest, but as the erratic actions of a deranged man, unable to cope with his personal circumstances and unwilling to take responsibility for what his life had become.”

Did he really say “allegedly”? How he can say Mr. Adkisson allegedly carried out those actions? And “conservative intellectuals”? (an oxymoron?) It’s conservatives who have demonized intellectuals as well as liberals. Unless Mr. Quinn is willing to disown all of the above mentioned conservative commentators his words ring quite hollow.

Freedom of Speech?

Free speech is not unlimited. For example, you can’t yell fire in a crowded theater when you know there isn’t one and not suffer any consequences. Public safety can trump free speech. Should this standard be applied to the kind of vicious commentary that flies so freely on AM radio and some TV shows? Think about it. Is it that much of a stretch to say that Adkisson was instructed to kill in much the same way that those same talk show hosts would say that young terrorists are instructed to kill in Muslim madrasas? If this kind of hate crime against liberals rears its ugly head again should there be consideration for holding these talk show hosts liable? Wouldn’t they be accessories to a crime for promoting that kind of behavior? Perhaps it's appropriate to consider even now. Could it be more clear than in this case?

As disturbing as Mr. Adkisson’s motive is, the source of his motive is just as disturbing. Is it time to place some accountability and responsibility on those who spew hate on the public airwaves for the actions of their listeners? Charles Manson did not commit any of the murders himself for which he is serving time. His followers murdered those people at his instructions. At a minimum let’s enforce the concept that public safety can trump free speech and get the FCC to punish those who promote physical violence on the airwaves. It’s something to think and talk about for everyone’s safety. Who will be targeted next?