Crime

‘Nothing Wrong With Politicizing Tragedy’: Time Magazine Defends Aurora Shooting Speculation

Following ABC’s attempt to tie Aurora shooter James Holmes to the Tea Party, it is not clear that class is in short supply in the media.

And apparently Michael Grunwald of Time Magazine wants there to be less. He’s penned an op ed entitled “Sometimes There’s Nothing Wrong With Politicizing a Tragedy,” in which he defends the idea that politicians ought to use this particular tragedy for their own political gain. Read some highlights below:

I feel terrible about what happened in that movie theater, and I’m agnostic about gun control, but there is nothing wrong with politicizing tragedy.

The talking heads don’t like it, because they think of politics as a silly game about who sang out of tune and whose words can be used against them and whose surrogate undercut whose message, but politics is about life and death and human suffering. At least that’s what it should be about.

If advocates or experts or even politicians think their policy ideas can prevent the next Aurora—by preventing potential killers from obtaining guns, by making sure potential victims can carry guns, or by some other method—then by all means, now is the time to spread the word.[...]

It’s telling that the people who get paid to analyze politics recoil at the notion that its practitioners should connect it to real-life pain. They think they’re covering a sport, an entertainment.

Is this fair, or is Grunwald reaching to try to justify conjecture? Weigh in below.

Comments (110)

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  • rsanchez1
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:52pm

    These sickos learned from the Rahm Emanuel school of political thought: Never let a serious crisis go to waste.

    Report Post »  
    • GeorgieJo
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:07pm

      TIME magazine still exists?????
      What a loser magazine.
      Happy to see that they are no longer in medical offices.

      OMG 2012

      Report Post »  
    • fastfacts
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:45pm

      Speaking of Emanuel, Obama learned thuggish tactics from him as well. Here is a video of a Rahm staffer roughing up a journalist because he didn’t want to answer a real question, here is the clip: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2012/july/rahm_staff_assault.html

      Report Post »  
    • Anamah
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:47pm

      Times show without sahme their media corruption.

      Report Post »  
    • HKS
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:18pm

      This idiot should be sufficient proof of the trouble we are in if we don’t clean out Washington come election day. Does anyone really read that thing anymore.

      Report Post » HKS  
    • poorrichard09
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:23pm

      Making it political only capitalizes on the PERSONAL anguish of those who were killed or wounded and their families. They should be ashamed,but they have no shame-it’s all about the advancing the AGENDA.

      Report Post »  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:37pm

      I heard Brian Ross was raping little boys with Jerry Sandusky all thru the 80s and 90s……….but it could be a different Brian Ross from ABC………

      Report Post »  
    • christhefanatic
      Posted on July 21, 2012 at 3:52pm

      I read that Brian Ross is a lying, left-wing propagandist. I did the research…yep, same one.

      Report Post »  
    • nowonuno
      Posted on July 21, 2012 at 5:26pm

      Time??? Sorry, no time and the pages aren’t soft enough for their real purpose.

      Report Post »  
    • muffythetuffy
      Posted on July 23, 2012 at 1:24am

      TIME TYPICALLY LIBERAL

      Making money off of dead children and people’s tears, peoples’ sorrow … Dispicable and Liberal as always.

      Report Post »  
  • DRsnapper
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:48pm

    i herd on news that brian ross got caught sexting a 10 yr old little girl
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    it might not be the same brian ross

    Report Post »  
    • MajorShultz
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:58pm

      And I heard he murdered somebody in a swimming pool….

      Maybe that was another Bryan Ross…

      Report Post »  
    • Patriot Z
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:01pm

      nice :0)

      Report Post » Patriot Z  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:25pm

      Hahahahahahahahaha!

      I wonder if you google Brian Ross if those are NOW the first things that pop up on the page. Hold on…Nope, not yet but, everything that comes up is all about how wrong he is.

      Report Post » 4xeverything  
    • theninthplanet
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:33pm

      That’s a fun game to play.

      I read that Brian Ross is a registered sex offender.
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      Maybe it’s not the same one?

      Report Post » theninthplanet  
    • Chrono_Sleuth
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:34pm

      I think a good number of people are misreading this. Holt, I think you’re reading too much into this statement. Michael is not saying that pundits and political writers should simply speculate and say whatever. He’s stating politicians should capitolize on moments like this to connect and humanize the tragedy, relate to it, and bring to the fold his/her vision of the future in relation to it and what he/she can offer if in office that might help alleviate the tragedy or keep us secure.

      Granted this opens a whole new can of worms:

      What direction should the politician take? Should it be anti-gun? Should there be limits on what can be commented on, and what is considered judicial prudence in discourse; as in how far should speculation, if any, be taken? If they do take a position, does this mean more government, less government?

      In a way it opens up a candidate to be more candid, granting hopefully greater insight to their vision of America. Progressive looking more progressive, Rhinos perhaps slipping and showing their true progressive leanings, true conservatives and libertarians showing their adherence to relaxed gun laws and greater public acceptance for the ability to carry in case of emergencies like this?

      At the same time Michael does not distinguish between a politician simply lamenting and appropriately offering condolences, versus stealing the spotlight to hammer their view in light of tragedy. Very distinct, and politicization is never good.

      Report Post » Chrono_Sleuth  
    • mecanic
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:10pm

      outstanding post.

      Report Post » mecanic  
  • irish_5
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:45pm

    TIME…..cold blooded, money hungry leeches.

    Report Post »  
  • hillspeak
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:45pm

    What if your child had been in that theatre Michael?? Would you feel the same way?

    Report Post »  
  • woodyee
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:45pm

    Nothing wrong with politicizing tragedy…

    …that is, of course, unless what you refer to as a tragedy is a group of photos of babies aborted for the convenience of the mother…

    Report Post » woodyee  
  • Eric_The_Red_State
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:42pm

    I suppose they will be wanting to ban movies now —- ok fine.

    Report Post » Eric_The_Red_State  
    • kapnkd
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:26pm

      Not that bad of an idea …putting all of those Hollywood liberals (commies) out of business!!

      Report Post » kapnkd  
    • just my opinion maybe not yours
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:43pm

      I have no problem with that, I don’t go to the movies as I will not give that industry my money in that forum! I don’t care what their politics are and since they shove it down our throats I will spend my money on anything but them! If they would keep their ideals to themselves I might change my mind but at this point not giving them my money!!

      Report Post »  
    • MAMMY_NUNN
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:44pm

      Don‘t all the movies glorify the bad guy and he always gets away unless it’s an old western movie who gets it in the end. And they wonder why kids grow up with a misconception.

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    • Dave In Arizona
      Posted on July 21, 2012 at 12:15am

      @kapnkd : Consider the downside: we’d have to support them with our taxes.

      Report Post » Dave In Arizona  
  • Couyon64
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:42pm

    And they wonder why their subsciber rate is down. The “elite” media are a bunch of dumazzez.

    Report Post » Couyon64  
    • uselogic
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:30pm

      SO true. As are their sycophant readers. Take a peek at the reader comments in that linked article. Same with the NYT articles on this today. Noting but “more gun control” and “those right wing nutjobs”. I have no use for those liberal magpies.

      Report Post »  
  • Dano9375
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:40pm

    I have my concealed carry and if I were there maybe I could have saved someone. God knows I would have tried or died trying.

    Report Post »  
  • cookcountypatriot
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:36pm

    well time if your gonna make this a political issue, do it right…..take a good look at the creeps pic…doesnt he look totally ows to you time??,,he does to me …he looks so left….he looks like he listened to ed shultz,,or maybe rachel maddow…or scarey larry odonnell….but most of all he looks like the typical obama progressive white slave …after all its looking like he was a registered demorat…so there you go time…run with it

    Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
  • Patriot Z
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:34pm

    ugghhh i hate thi. but i actually agree with this to a point. like it or not politics is WAR. the libs have no problems with ex[ploiting this to silence critics or promote gun control. Unfortunatly taking the ‘high road’ all the time is NOT the best solution. While we on the right should promote the victims. At this point its more shocking that we keep getting suprised and put on the defensive. Its not the first time this has been done, certainly not the last and this ‘oh my gosh , well i never’ shock is old. Slam me if you want but as i said politics is war and all is fair and we need to win. there is zero value in noble loosing as history is written by the winners. we WILL LOOSE if we refuse to properly strategise. sorry but if there are only 2 choices i will be an immoral master over a moral slave anyday.

    Report Post » Patriot Z  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:34pm

    my heart pains for the families who lost love ones in this senseless killing, i pray that they can find so comfort but i know it won’t be easy, now if i could i would love to be the one who beat the living hell of theses left wing cold hearted son of bitches of would rather push an agenda than to have a heart .
    let me ask michel grunwald a question, you think banning guns is the answer, what a crack, look at england,they have some of the worst crime rates in the world and their citizens can not defend themselves and when the do,they are persecuted for it, so if you take the guns then what is next, knives,forks, spoons heck anything can be used as a weapon, micheal you and the other left wing nut jobs are just as to blame as anyone else, i really pray that people wake up to these liberals before November because the way we are going we will all be in trouble,

    Report Post »  
    • Gregb
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:25pm

      AMEN…
      We – the average citizen of America – need to be able to defend ourselves and we have that constitutional right. It goes back to the old saying that when you ban guns, only criminals and sickos like this one will have guns. Millions of Americans own guns and the only problem is with the occasional nutjobs like this one.
      We need to stop Hilary from signing the ATT

      Report Post » Gregb  
  • Landon410
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:34pm

    both sides do it…

    Report Post »  
    • uselogic
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:21pm

      Maybe. But one side does it WAY more….. and consistently at less appropriate times.

      Report Post »  
  • Rayblue
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:32pm

    The usual hack job when little is known and much is arbitrarily hoped for.
    Like a bottle with no ingredients listed.
    They expect all to drink from it when nobody knows what it really contains.

    Report Post » Rayblue  
  • Lord_Frostwind
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:29pm

    While I’m not sure about politicizing a tragedy, the author did make a good point in the third paragraph. The propagandists are utterly intolerable, but it is important to look through what happens, analyze, and make decisions based on the information gained. The chance of the media actually doing this is very low, and it’s a very different thing than the usual “analysis” IE stupidity that is going around right now in the media.

    Report Post » Lord_Frostwind  
  • Pray for USA
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:28pm

    And this is why they lose readers and viewers. The end does not justify the means.

    Report Post »  
    • Patriot Z
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:59pm

      no acually alot of times it does. and there is countless amts of evidence to support that the ends justify the means. remember the thing you wont do to defend yourself your enemy WILL do to attack you

      Report Post » Patriot Z  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:27pm

    I would like to smack everyone of these tools that decides to politicize tragedy but then I remember they are getting paid to do this, paid to say ridiculous things to get us to tune in to their channel or the written words to get hits on their websites or magazine/newspaper sales. its just how much of this provacative trash do we want to allow into our ears our homes etc. at a certain point it is our responsibility to just turn it off and be done with it.

    Report Post »  
  • SNAFOO
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:21pm

    Rahm “Bath House Boy” Emanuel said it best, “Don’t let a crisis go to waste”! Push that Lib Agenda down people’s throats when emotion runs high and rational thinking is low. First thing I did was pray for those people in CO. Liberal EXPLOIT, others show true concern for victims.

    Report Post » SNAFOO  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:20pm

    TIME magazine:

    Totalitarian
    Intimidation
    Manipulation of
    Events

    Translation: they are doing exactly what the administration and the progressives wish to have happen, the aggrandizement of events to match their politcal and ideological agendas; used to manipulate the feelings, emotions and sentimentality of the masses to their own ends. In short it is being used for political propaganda purposes.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • commonsenseguy
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:38pm

      and these nut job commies have no feelings,emotions or even a heart, just a ass hole where their mouth is and the crap that come from it is their brains.

      Report Post »  
  • MeteoricLimbo
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:20pm

    Dear Time, I feel this is a time that our great nation should be drawn together and not divided n the basis of a political point of view. I am sure that you will come out with guns blazing to attack firearms.
    It saddens me as an American that such a thing can happen and I honestly feel if blame is to be assigned it should be to the individual responsible for this action. Blaming an inanimate object is simply foolish. I am glad he did not use a 5 gallon tank of propane or heaven forbid that evil gasoline. Pause for a moment and think of the damage that could have done.

    Report Post » MeteoricLimbo  
  • yiska8
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:18pm

    Ah yes, from the school of liberal filth taken from the historian and philosopher Machiavelli, a smart man for his time.
    “Never let a good crisis go to waste!“ Rahm ”deadfish” Emmanuel, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and basically all politician since Dwight Eisenhower (aside from Kennedy who wasn’t President long enough to know what he could have done.) Thinking like this from a liberal Time writer is completely NORMAL in their mind. Crazy people do not know they are crazy. That is why liberalism is a mental disorder and I couldn’t very well keep reading a magazine with writers who are insane. Thank goodness I gave up the TIME magazine subscription back in 1993 after hillbilly Clinton got elected.

    Report Post » yiska8  
    • BOMUSTGO
      Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:23pm

      - “The press is our chief ideological weapon.”
      Nikita Khrushchev

      Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
  • BOMUSTGO
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:17pm

    I don’t pay any attention to the ministry of propaganda.

    Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:12pm

    The Left knows no shame, so they see no problem.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • billo
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:12pm

    I think this fool just justified to himself and his readership (if Time has such a thing anymore) that lying is O.K.!! I think this clown is the reincarnation of Josef Goebbels. “Time”…what a joke! I think they may be too stupid to realize that they are the punch-line.

    Report Post »  
  • DoomsdayProphet
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:06pm

    Of course they do. good thing it was a liberal.just like the last one and the plane before that. Seems the liberals are all willing to do violence for no reason.

    Report Post »  
  • PATTY HENRY
    Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:06pm

    Oh, let TIME go ahead and politicize it. THEY will end up with EGG on their face as they always do. The rest of us, (most who don’t buy TIME) will just consider the source and move past these freaks.

    Report Post » PATTY HENRY  
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