Pima County Sheriff, Clarence Dupnik, has taken several opportunities since the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and eighteen others in Tucson, Arizona, to ask the country to tone down heated political rhetoric. Those groups and individuals most associated with violent metaphor and vitriol have responded by attacking the sheriff but reaction in Europe appears to agree with Dupnik.

With significant play in London, Berlin, and Paris, the actions of alleged shooter Jared Lee Loughman are seen as typically American and not surprising in Arizona, where citizens can carry concealed handguns without a permit, something considered unthinkable here.

The Giffords story in Europe today mirrored questions in US media about the degree to which anger, conspiracy theories, and intemperate talk show rhetoric is to blame either for the context of the shooting.

France’s daily Le Monde asked if Ms. Giffords’ shooting “is the tea party’s fault?” and Le Figaro’s Washington correspondent opined that “The political climate in the US is sick.” The London-based Economist asked today “Are Words to Blame?” Agence France-Presse described “Hate rhetoric is in target sights,” in the US.

Much of the German editorial position on Giffords was strongly accusatory of the political climate in the US in recent years.

Sarah Palin has taken a lot of criticism for the use of graphical metaphors like bullseyes and targets and today Glenn Beck came to her defense reading email exchanges during his radio program.

According to Beck he wrote to her saying:

“Sarah, as you know, peace is always the answer. I know you are felling the same heat, if not much more on this. I want you to know you have my full support.”

He then encouraged her to get some protection because and “attempt on you could bring the Republic down.”

Indeed.

Palin responded via email, which Beck read out loud:

I hate violence. I hate war. Our children will not have peace if politicos just capitalize on this to succeed in portraying anyone as inciting terror and violence.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/glenn-beck-arizona-shooting-giffords-loughner-2011-1#ixzz1AhO5hdJo

Beck denounced the violence with some very contradictory messaging. (note the gun to the left)

Patricia Maisch describes her contribution in helping stop the alleged shooter from killing any more people.