Knoxville, Tenn. police has released a statement that a letter in the car of church shooter Jim D. Adkisson reveals that he targeted the congregation due to its liberal views on civil liberties and women’s and gay rights. Adkisson killed two people at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in the middle of a children’s performance.
Chief Sterling Owen IV said Adkisson had a “stated hatred of the liberal movement.” He is now charged with first-degree murder. Among the complaints against the church was its founding of a chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The children were performing “Annie” when Adkisson decided to kill people in the name of the true faith. According to reports, Greg McKendry, a 60-year-old usher and board member at the church, blocked the killer and was his first victim, click here.
It is simply astonishing that even a demented killer would think that God would want him to mow down Christians who are not sufficiently conservative, including children. Some reports indicate that he had problems with Christians in general, click here. It takes a lot of hate to walk into a scene of children performing in a religious sanctuary and turn it into a place of massacre. Of course, as with the Virginia Tech massacre, the story also reveals the best of humanity in those adults who confronted his man at the risk of their own lives. Had he not been restrained by church members, the death toll might have been much greater.
Ironically, the ACLU and these church members would likely be the first to defend Adkisson’s rights as he faces a potential death penalty for his alleged crimes.
For the latest on the story, click here.
Best sunsets I have EVER seen! Have one on me – Cheers!
Patty C:
Sorry out of commission and down at the Outer Banks with gang of four. Will return Monday rarin’ to go.
I want my ‘mespo’…
Where are you? On ‘vaca’, I trust…!
One down and one to go. If I didn’t have to spend so much time fighting the lies and propaganda of martha h, I’d have more time for civilized discussion.
mespo, at least you got an ‘ode’. All I got was ‘eau de toilette’!
Knowing a smidge about IDs, I know to close the lid when I flush.
May I suggest everyone else do the same, including ‘BodyPolitic
(muted chuckle)
For what it’s worth for BB, I do suggest a complete physical. Probably a good therapist or credentialed Support Group is not a bad idea, some form of regular exercise, if permissible, and nutritional support, to start. Medication(s) – maybe later, unless sleeping etc is a problem, now. Beyond that, I may be able to suggest a referral.
Some people find basic seminars in ‘Conflict Resolution’ helpful as a starting point. Some enjoy reading ‘Getting to Yes’ and similar negotiation strategy books. Others take up chess or backgammon.
I seriously doubt anyone ever said ‘Bartlebee is banished’, however that is what he ‘hears’ – or would like us to believe that is the message he has received, and is now irretrievably wounded, hoping to induce guilt, rather than be cajoled into altering his behavior.
Flip a coin. He’s calls it for himself.
JT is a wonderful host, a gentle man and a Constitutional scholar extraordinaire.
Lindy Lou:
Like Bugs Bunny (maybe my favorite neo-classic philosopher)says “scary ain’t it?” As you note, “fair” was not what he was looking for. I gave him so much time because I saw no reason for him to attack Patty C like that who I find to be tough, proud, and fair–admirable qualities all. Since I was young, I never liked bullies. Maybe that’s why I do what I do? Talk about “psychological projection”–now I’m self analyzing!
“They are gold star moments like being named to Nixon’s hit list!”
Mespo,
You were always very fair with him. I was impressed that you gave him so much of your time and consideration.
I think his little list above was a classic case of psychological projection.
Patty C:
“I’ll leave your blog and never post in it again.”
**********************
Whew, glad that’s over. The “Age of Miracles” must be upon us. It was certainly inevitable, but even I could not have hoped so soon. Now maybe we can get back to intelligent argument and discussion. Where’s my ol’ buddy Niblet? Compared to some bloggers of very recent vintage, he looks positively Einsteinian by comparison.
No problem JT.
Since you permit bloggers like mespo and patty to attack new bloggers, unprovoked, and litteraly badger them until they finally retort with some uncivility of their own, and then penalize the blogger who dares respond to the non stop stalking attacks of your two favorite friends, I will do you one better.
I’ll leave your blog and never post in it again.
You guys spend your days damning the right for cronyism, yet clearly it is a dual standard when it comes to your own.
Notice not one word to mespo or patty, about their non stop attacks on me.
Not one word about how they follow me from thread to thread, insult me, harrass me, demonize me, and generally try and interfere with my comments to other bloggers.
Just let them piss me off enough to wear I might use some questionable language, and then walla. Here comes the teacher to chastize me for responding to these two GOONS you keep on hand to drive out anyone who won’t goosestep to the blog beat.
This isn’t a vehicle for free expression, nor does the free speech you so loudly proclaim on Countdown exist here.
What you have here, is an “ECHO CHAMBER”, where bully liberals like messpo and patty c, are permitted to drive out new bloggers by badgering them until they either leave, or react in a way that draws your rebuke.
Well, you can “say” you don’t like to censor all you want, but you just censored me, and without so much as an inkling of alluding to the bloggers, who harrassed me until I finaly let loose with some bad language, obviously to try and discourage them from talking to me.
I don’t talk that way, it should have been obvious to you that my intent was to make it unpleasent for them to keep harrassing me.
But apparently that was neither visible to you, or you just didn’t care. Either way, I won’t hang out in an ECHO CHAMBER, where left WINGNUTS like Patty and your pal messpo, are permitted to badger bloggers, but responses from those bloggers are censored and stifled.
I really thought you believed the stuff you say on Countdown, and who knows, maybe you do.
You just don’t practice it yourself.
So I will bid you good morning sir, and leave you to your ECHO CHAMBER, so you guys can “talk” about free speech.
😀
Oh… and in case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight.
BARTLEBEE:
I have removed three of your comments which included foul language directed at another person. This site is committed to civil discourse. I do not want to bar or censor anyone on a site that has free speech focus, but we need to maintain a minimal standard of civility in discourse. Also, I would appreciate it if you would try to combine some of your comments rather than have four or five one-line comments following in one after another. The problem is that there is a limit on the number of comments which appear on the opening page. We welcome continued exchanges and dialogues. However, having four comments in an uninterrupted line prevents other comments from being visible for the other readers on the home page comments column.
JT
Lindy Lou:
Welcome to the club of those who had the audacity to cross, however mildly, the omnipotent, omniscient one. Your membership card and suit of armor are in the mail. Please be advised that he courageously likes to pick on women so blog accordingly. You may also strive to be called one of the following by our resident loon:
asswipe
jackass
buttbuddy
slick
brainless wonder
LIAR
They are gold star moments like being named to Nixon’s hit list!
To quote Malcolm X: “The chickens have come home to roost”.
Besides, why are you asking me to take up more of your precious “bandwidth”?
LindyLou
1, July 30, 2008 at 1:59 am
What do you say, battlebee, isn’t this domestic terrorism
Well gee Lindywho, why don’t you try reading all the comments I made about that very thing.
I posted numerous comments on the shootings at the Unitarian church.
You know, the ones that Patty and Messpo are complaining about.
I asked you to stick to the topic. Americans have been murdered by an American right-winger. Now, right wingers can no longer claim their hate rhetoric is just a little kiddin’ around. A right wing American has actually picked up a gun and killed other Americans he thought were too liberal.
What do you say, battlebee, isn’t this domestic terrorism?
I’m liberal, and I occasionally go to our Unitarian Universalist church. Now I have to think about copy cat killers. In my town, the Universalist church is directly across the street from a major trauma center. Maybe that will come in handy.
Really?
Then why is it publiclly available, to the public, on the public internet, for any member of the public to use?
And what does bandwidth have to do with the number of comments posting?
And who are you, to tell me what to do?
You three keep “acting” like you’ve got some authority here. Yet theres no disclaimers, no posted “rules or regulations”, no list of any authors other than Professor Turley.
And Professor Turley has not asked me to leave, which I will gladly do should he so ask.
So what is it exactly that makes you, and your two other Kapo’s there, think you get to boss other bloggers around again?
This is not a public forum. It’s a hosted website where Professor Turley is kind enough to allow comments from the public. This bandwidth isn’t free.
😀
You’re so honest.