Keller @ Large: People Too Quick To Politicize Tragedies

BOSTON (CBS) - Maybe I imagined it, but I do seem to recall that once upon a time, the immediate aftermath of a terrible murder or mass murder, no matter what its potential political implications, would be a period of universal horror and sorrow.

By the unwritten rules of civility and decency, a certain amount of time would be allowed to pass before people would begin the finger-pointing and hyperbole that often accompanies impassioned political debate.

But in our culture of instantaneous information and reaction and uncivil discourse, those genteel days are seemingly long gone.

Within hours of the slaughter in San Bernardino Wednesday, Twitter and Facebook were ablaze with an especially nasty theme – that those who chose to convey their "thoughts and prayers" instead of immediately calling for tougher gun control were committing a vile act of hypocrisy. A prime example: Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who tweeted at his more-conservative colleagues: "Your 'thoughts' should be about steps to take to stop this carnage. Your 'prayers' should be for forgiveness if you do nothing - again."

"At one time in American history," wrote Emma Green of the Atlantic Magazine, "liberals and conservatives shared a language of God, but that's clearly no longer the case; any invocation of faith is taken as implicit advocacy of right-wing political beliefs." And she notes that one of the women trapped inside the crime scene texted her father "pray for us," while evacuated workers outside held hands and prayed.

I happen to think better gun control is a good idea. But language and venom can be weapons too.

And it's alarming to see so many so-called peace advocates reaching so readily for theirs.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

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• San Bernardino