On Saturday, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, along with 19 other people, were shot outside a supermarket in Tuscon, Ariz. The Democrat representative was attending an event called “Congress on Your Corner,” which allowed constituents of her district to meet with her and discuss issues concerning the federal government. There were six fatalities in the shooting, including John Roll, a chief judge in the U.S. District Court of Arizona and a 9-year-old girl. As of 8 p.m. last night, Giffords was in critical condition. While no direct motives are understood at this time, authorities have said that this was a clear attempt to end the life of a public official.

Giffords tenure as a representative of the state of Arizona has not been without controversy, and many assumptions point to this attack as being politically motivated. Many have thought of Giffords as being soft on immigration, which is a particularly contentious issue in Arizona. She outspokenly opposed the state’s immigration laws that are some of the strictest in seeking to deter illegal immigration. Giffords was also one of the supporters of the health care reform bill — a decision that drew some criticism and led to the vandalization of her office.

Saturday’s events were a disgusting and heinous crime that has brought about tragedy for the families of six individuals. And while no difference of opinion could even begin to justify the shooter’s actions, many people are pointing to the heated political climate between Republicans and Democrats as inciting this type of behavior. The purpose of Giffords’s meeting was to facilitate open discourse with the constituents of her district and civilly discuss what is happening in our federal government. But it instead turned into a terrifying disaster because of the actions of a cowardly, repulsive individual.

It’s no secret that politics in the United States have been particularly polarized lately, a fact that was made very clear during November’s elections. Health care reform and economic concerns alone have almost completely separated Republicans and Democrats. And neither group is mincing words about how they feel about the opposing party.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been particularly criticized in the wake of these attacks for comments like “Don’t retreat — Instead, reload!” There have also been comments about her controversial “crosshairs map” that she posted on her Facebook page during the midterm election season. The map depicted districts where Democratic representatives were up for re-election in the crosshairs of a gun, and Giffords’s district was among those targeted on the map.

Republicans aren’t alone in this type of display. Also during the midterm elections, Democrat Joe Manchin, who was running for a seat in the West Virginia Senate, released an advertisement in which he fired a gun at a copy of the cap-and-trade bill. In the ad, he spoke strongly about “taking on Washington” and taking “dead aim.”

It’s frightening to think that these types of displays have become the business as usual approach for today’s politicians and talking heads. The notion that outright displays of violence have become acceptable metaphors when discussing legislation is nothing short of absurd. Political talk shows have become increasingly extreme in their rhetoric, and there is constant talk — even among politicians — about battle lines being drawn between Republicans and Democrats. And while there are certainly large, divisive issues at play in our country, there are also consequences for the way we speak about them.

I don’t think that any politician or media figure wants physical harm to come to an individual of their opposing party, but they speak as though they do. The fact that one of the only ways that Americans can speak in support of their party or a piece of legislation is to deride the opposing view — instead of building up their own — is one part of the problem. Everyone needs to be conscious about the environment we’re creating and ensure that debates and discussions are the promoted outlets for political action. Psychotic, insane people are going to do the things that psychotic, insane people do, but shows on CNN and Fox News don’t need to offer any misguided encouragement.

While it’s important to evaluate whether the climate surrounding politics has become dangerous, it’s also important to acknowledge that the shooting was an attack carried out by an individual. These tragedies serve as a reminder that we're all connected in our basic human right of life, and my thoughts go out to the victims and their families who had that right taken away.

Michelle DeWitt is the co-editorial page editor. She can be reached at dewittm@umich.edu.