Why havent we been discussing the fact that Tuesday's school board shooter Clay Duke was a teabagger

[Very_Boring_Name]

In his suicide note he rails against the "government sponsored media." Sounds like he listened to Glenn Beck a little too much.

[EOTE]

1. Where did you get this information?

I heard him talk about how awful the wealth distribution is in this country, with the top few percent screwing over everyone else. That doesn't sound much like teabagger talk to me. It should be noted that occasionally the left does some zany, violent shit as well.

[Very_Boring_Name]

3. His over the top anti-government crap that he spewed in his suicide note sounded very teabagger-ish

also the V for vendetta sign that he painted on the wall, which the teabaggers have been known to use to show us how "anti government" they really are.

[EOTE]

4. We can be "anti government" as well.

We tend to be against the government that protects the wealthy at all costs. The teabaggers are against the government that does things to help poor people. So once again, what did he specifically say that leads you to believe he's a teabagger? Everything I heard from him leads me to believe he either resides on the left or is completely apolitical.

[Very_Boring_Name]

6. I just told you, if you choose not to see it, that's not my problem

He also went on a rant about taxes during his "speech"

[EOTE]

11. Hmmm, I guess democrats don't ever rant about taxes.

I heard very well what the man said and I'm having a very hard time seeing how you find that makes him a teabagger. Unless I missed something and now teabaggers hate the top 2%?

[Puregonzo1188]

22. Wasn't it in relation to his wife losing her job? They said they could cut taxes and than fired

people? That was the impression I got.

I did not get the Tea Party vibe from him--he just seemed very frustrated and very disturbed.

[naaman fletcher]

33. do you have a link to the note? nt.

[muriel_volestrangler]

39. "V for Vendetta" is very popular on DU

I'd take that as being more likely to be left than right, actually.

[ck4829]

2. I really think the guy just wanted to make a weird rant and then off himself

If you've seen the video, then you'll see the first shot is fired close by the guy but misses by a big angle and the second shot he fires is really off any target (Looks like he's shooting at the floor almost), it's like he's not even trying.

[LisaL]

20. Considering how many shorts were fired at a close distance,

still amazing no one but the gunman himself was hurt.

[librechik]

5. What I don't hear mentioned today is early reports the man was shooting blanks

Today that tidbit has vanished. WTF?
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/video/Florida-Gunman-Shoots-Blank-Bullets-At-School-Board-Meeting---Before-Killing-Himself/Video/201012315855904?lpos=video_Article_Body_Copy_Region_0&lid=VIDEO_15855904_Florida%3A_Gunman_Shoots_Blank_Bullets_At_School_Board_Meeting_-_Before_Killing_Himself

[spanone]

8. he shot himself in the head with blanks?

[Bluenorthwest]

25. He would not be the first

blanks can be lethal at close range, see the death of actor Jon Eric Hexum, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon-Erik_Hexum

[Bluenorthwest]

27. Just to be clear, I know nothing about this case and have no

opinion at all. But no one should assume blanks are safe.

[walldude]

38. Jason Lee too

Died from a blank on The Crow...

[Jamastiene]

40. Wasn't that also what killed Brandon Lee?

Or was he actually shot?

[PoliticAverse]

26. It worked for Jon-Erik Hexum

Blanks are deadly a point blank range...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon-Erik_Hexum

But apparently he Duke was firing live rounds according to police and not blanks.

It appears he didn't actually want to kill anyone other than himself.

[librechik]

34. no he shot at others with blanks hoping to get shot for real by cops.

There is some confusion in the early reports, including reports of blanks. Just wondered if they straightened all of that out. The blanks story just vanished overnight without explanation. Always makes me suspicious.

[EC]

15. Hollow points were reported -

not blanks...

[LisaL]

18. Cause they were real bullets and not blanks?

"Then Duke fired several shots directly at Husfelt. Husfelt said later that he thought they were blanks. However, investigators on scene said there were plenty of real bullets in the gun."

Read more: http://www.cbs12.com/articles/city-4730065-panama-shooting.html#ixzz18CvHFOGx
http://www.cbs12.com/articles/city-4730065-panama-shooting.html

[JuniperLea]

29. One of the guys he shot at...

Later said there were bullet holes where he was sitting... and he somehow dodged the bullets.

[virgogal]

7. Why would that matter? He was just plain nuts.

[Very_Boring_Name]

9. It matters because real violence is now coming out of the teabagger movement

You don't think that's important?

[virgogal]

30. Onr crazy man's action does not make a movement.

[Llewlladdwr]

10. Because he wasn't?

I hear plenty of railing against the MSM here at DU. Are those DUers closet teabaggers as well?

[Very_Boring_Name]

12. Do you hear them rail against taxes?

[EOTE]

13. You bet.

Quite a number of DUers are quite pissed off that a number of middle and lower class tax payers are going to see their taxes rise while billionaires and millionaires will have theirs slashed.

On edit: I should mention that I'm one of them.

[Very_Boring_Name]

14. So they're upset about tax cuts

not paying taxes. You can spin yourself around in a tizzy trying to defend the guy, but inside you know I'm right.

[EOTE]

21. Wrong, they're upset that middle class taxes are RISING

while upper class taxes are being cut. I sure as hell am not defending the guy, he's a whacko who got what he deserves. But you're sure as hell wrong about what you think this guy is.

[Llewlladdwr]

19. I've heard complaints about taxes here at DU.

Look, this guy had a facebook page up where he ranted about 'the rich'. He painted a big red 'V' (as in V for Vendetta) on the wall when he walked in. That doesn't sound like a teabagger to me.

Maybe he was just an unstable guy who lost it when his wife got fired. Why do you feel the need to pigeon-hole this man's politics?

[sinkingfeeling]

16. His Facebook entry could have been written by almost any one here.

"My testament: Some people (the government sponsored media) will say I was evil, a monster (V) ... no ... I was just born poor in a country where the Wealthy manipulate, use, abuse, and economically enslave 95 percent of the population. Rich Republicans, Rich Democrats ... same-same ... rich ... they take turns fleecing us ... our few dollars ... pyramiding the wealth for themselves."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40674270/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

And just a couple of weeks ago, there were plenty of the "V for Vendetta' symbols appearing as avatars.

[Dreamer Tatum]

32. +1 nt

[Puregonzo1188]

17. Was he? His Facebook page mentioned class warfare and how the rich controlled the government.

I don't know what he was other than disturbed.

Is there any info yet on what his wife's situation was?

[Llewlladdwr]

23. I understand that his wife was recently fired by the school district. NT

[superduperfarleft]

24. What evidence do you have that he was in any way affiliated with the teabaggers?

Ever consider he might have just been a little bit nuts?

[PoliticAverse]

28. Because he wasn't a 'teabagger'.

And some people here are more interested in reality.

He appears to be an unstable person who was upset that his wife, who had been a special education teacher,
was fired.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqA1vQl997v9NFhRWMwHluUR-LYA?docId=9be7b23d6222452a8ad1617d8bb3579a

[uberblonde]

31. If you listen to the uncut video...

He says, “Our benefits have run out. We’re broke.”

Oddly enough, the news stories I've seen don't seem to mention that.

Sounds like another person pushed to the edge by our economy.

[naaman fletcher]

35. Here is the statement for those who want to see it:

"My testament: Some people (the government sponsored media) will say I was evil, a monster (V) ... no ... I was just born poor in a country where the Wealthy manipulate, use, abuse, and economically enslave 95 percent of the population. Rich Republicans, Rich Democrats ... same-same ... rich ... they take turns fleecing us ... our few dollars ... pyramiding the wealth for themselves.""

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqA1vQl997v9NFhRWMwHluUR-LYA?docId=9be7b23d6222452a8ad1617d8bb3579a

Of course, he is right.

[spin]

36. However his actions accomplished nothing except his death...

No one thinks of him as a monster, a rebel or a hero - just as a foolish nut.

[truth2power]

37. What in the world are you talking about?...

I rail against the government sponsored media, and I'm sure not a teabagger.

The things he was quoted as saying, in another article, didn't sound like he was a teabagger. And I don't think the teabaggers are sitting at home watching the "V for Vendetta" video.