I am going to do something simultaneously here that would probably be unpopular if anyone ever read this blog. It's called attempting to see both sides of an issue.

So first, for the second time in as many months, members of a police force in Western Washington have been brutally murdered, not in any sort of confrontation, but simply sitting. This time it was four cops sitting in a coffee shop, working on their laptops. Scroll down about halfway if you haven't heard the entire story. You'll also read in that article that there was a standoff, currently still going on as I write this, as police have the suspect surrounded, believing he has a gunshot wound and may possibly be dead.

Obviously these are scary times to be a member of law enforcement in the area. It was just earlier this month that Timothy Brenton was killed while sitting in his patrol car in the Leschi neighborhood. In a twist of fate, such as it is, the home in which the current suspect is holed up is just blocks from where Brenton was shot and killed.

Living in Washington, D.C. has afforded me several different views of what is happening. One - the more recent shooting has garnered much more media attention. It is the front page and/or lead story of almost every newspaper and television news show this morning. The other view, however, is through a medium we talk about on a regular basis now, because of its enormous influence and ability to relay news in real time - social media.

Here comes the other side of the issue. One of the reasons this will garner so much national attention is because of its connections to a rather popular national figure - Mike Huckabee. The former presidential candidate and governor of Arkansas once pardoned the man who, I would like to point out, is still just a suspect in these killings. It seems many forget that, despite the fact that we all think we know the facts right away, none of us were there and no matter who you are, in this country you are presumed innocent. Mr. Huckabee once commuted the sentence of the suspect, a man who was sentence to around 95 years in prison. Now, politicians do this type of thing for a reason and, despite what many are calling "warning signs", he was also released from jail in Washington earlier last week. So, either this guy has the late Johnnie Cochran as his lawyer, or some people know something the general public doesn't.

Now, forever people have come to quick conclusions about crimes committed in their own backyard. People claim to know everything, because Mr. News Anchor said so, leaving little time for facts, pesky as they are. This man has been convicted in the court of public opinion and he hasn't even been caught yet. As far as I know, no witness has identified him and no video of the incident has been released. So, the general public is generally clueless. As usual. In the past, this wasn't such a big deal. Then I opened Facebook this morning. One of my friends had set her status to: "Shame on you Mike Huckabee. You owe four families a huge apology." I'll move past the "huge apology" part, as if something so simple and insincere will heal the wounds, and on to the blaming a politician, who as mentioned before, had to have a major reason to release someone of this man's record.

It is in this day of social media that opinions that are not based on fact are elevated. People read stories with comments in mind, confusing fact from opinion. I know this, because it is how messages are formed. You present your message alongside facts, to make them look the same. So on Facebook, when someone links a story, you read it after having read the comments. This is dangerous and leads to other comments like the one to that status update: "Mike Huckabee is a degenerate. What about guys like Ice T that make money off songs like "Cop Killer" (Don't listen to that if you don't like a) violent music, b)profanity or c)I just wouldn't listen to it if you have a weak stomach)?" If it wasn't clear before, I know that at least the owner of the particular Facebook profile in question is pretty liberal. Couldn't tell you about the second commenter. What I can tell you is that the guy is right about Ice T, he, and several others, made money writing songs about killing cops. But I find it hard to judge someone who grew up around killer cops. Second, if Ice T, real name Tracy Marrow, gets a negative rep for performing this song, does he also get extremely positive reviews for his role as "Fin" in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit? In that show he plays a cop who was once on the streets, cleaned up his life and now doesn't take excuses from those who lived the life he once lived.

Another thing about the man many call un-American: he was an Army Ranger. In addition, I am going to go out on a limb and say that the real argument here is against rap in general, because of its "violent tone and lyrics." Cop Killer was a heavy metal song.

The point here is that our unfailing attempt to blame outside influences, like a 17-year old song, for brutal violence are simply an attempt to separate ourselves from blame. Whoever killed these officers, whether it was this man or not, did not do it because of a song no one even listens to anymore. And yes, there will be some questions for Mike Huckabee, but an apology? His commuting of the sentence did not put bullets in that gun.

Social media is a great tool. It allows the free exchange of ideas and dissemination of information at a rate never seen before. But it comes at a price. The same influence this commenter claims this song may have, is magnified by something like social media, where it is someone you know reinforcing a message, without the consequences of ever having spoken the words. That division from reality allows for blame to be shifted easily and massively. This many, guilty or not, has been convicted by public opinion on a national scale. He could never get a fair trial in this country. Whereas just a few years, there actually would be people who didn't hear about this, now, no one misses anything. It is both a gift and a curse.

It should be said that there is little factual information known about why someone would shoot these four officers. The speculation is just that, speculation. But today is as good a day as any to stay away from blaming the usual suspects, from race to rap music, and find out exactly why. Only then can we actually start finding real solutions to this senseless violence. --- Some links:

Only something on the magnitude of these shootings could overshadow what this week is: the 10-year anniversary of "how-not-to" host an international conference, the WTO.

Seven stories that could hurt Obama.

Here is an interesting look at Huckabee's clemency of the suspect in Seattle, showing that it still required the parole board to approve his release.

Chelsea Clinton is engaged.

The Boston Globe has made an endorsement in the race for the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat.

And "Tiger Woods owes us no apology."