A senseless act of violence left six dead and 14 wounded in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday. It didn’t take long for speculation to start, and before the gunman had been named, motives were being guessed and blame was being placed.

This horrific tragedy brings to light a number of issues and discussions that should be had, and you can be sure this editorial board will delve into the ones we’re most passionate about throughout the course of this week – but not today.

Today, we’re not going to get political. We’re not going to argue. We’re going to ease up on the shouting and the heated rhetoric that seems to permeate the U.S. media culture, and do what seems most appropriate – most necessary.

Today, we offer our condolences to those affected by this shooting.

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is a member of our extended Cyclone family – her brother, Alex, was a placekicker for the ISU football team from 1979-1982, whose third-quarter field goal gave Iowa State the win over Iowa in the 1980 Iowa-Iowa State game.

“She [Gabrielle Giffords] gave me a print of Beardshear Hall at Iowa State that I have in my office, which she got from her brother,” said U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley in a statement Saturday.

Our thoughts are with Giffords and her family as she recovers from this attack.

Others killed in the shooting include Christina Taylor Green, 9; U.S. District Judge John M. Roll, 63; Gabe Zimmerman, 30, Giffords’ director of community outreach; Dorwan Stoddard, 76, a local pastor; Dorothy Morris, 76 and Phyllis Schneck, 79.

“It was an attack not only against dedicated public servants but against citizens, one being a child,” said FBI Director Robert Mueller in a news conference Sunday. “This was an attack on our institutions and an attack on our way of life.”

Our thoughts are with the victims’ families, with those who were injured, and with the family and friends – whose pain and shock we can’t imagine – of Jared Loughner, the 22-year-old charged with one count of attempted assassination of a member of Congress, two counts of killing an employee of the federal government and two counts of attempting to kill a federal employee.

“An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve,” said House Speaker John Boehner in a statement Saturday. “Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society.”

We couldn’t agree more. This was an attack on American citizens, and we’d like to extend Boehner’s sentiment to condemn violent attacks against all of humanity. Perhaps that’s an idealistic perspective, but we’d rather be known as a generation of peaceful ideals than as one that does not speak out against violent acts like the one committed Saturday in Arizona.