Jesse Kelly event: is this wording intentional?

by David Safier

JANUARY 8, 2011 UPDATE: We at Blog for Arizona are doing our best to update the evolving story of the shooting at Gabby Giffords' event Saturday, as well as offering commentary from our writers and our community. Go to the most recent posts for the latest information and commentary.

The original June 12, 2010 post:

A friend sent me a link to the Pima County Republican website, spotlighting a Jesse Kelly event.

I find the wording for the event (the part I circled) chilling.

There's nothing wrong with having a gun-themed event, if that's what you want to do. Count me out, but if you want to meet at a shooting range instead of a bowling alley or a baseball stadium, that's your right and your privilege.

There's also nothing wrong with having a "Help remove Gabrielle Giffords" event. That's what the R candidates in CD-8 are trying to do.

But to put it all together, starting with "Get on Target," moving to "remove Gabrielle Giffords," then finishing with "Shoot a fully automatic M16" . . .

That goes way beyond cute and clever and moves into a frightening linkage between shooting guns and removing Giffords.

I know you can see it in the image, but here is the wording of the Event invitation:

Get on Target for Victory in November Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly.