[The Tens] The 10 Biggest Political Stories Of 2011

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Shooting

It’s all fun, games and empty vitriolic rhetoric until somebody gets hurt. After a ton of reckless statements and images from the right–including Sarah Palin places targets over congressional districts–a lone gunman shot Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Six other were killed during the attack, which took place at one of Giffords’ public events. The months that followed saw both sides tone down the inflammatory rhetoric. Unfortunately, as time went on, the dog and pony show known as American politics saw a return to the same venomous language that made the attack possible in the first place. Way to keep it classy, elected officials. – Anthony Springer Jr.