Unacceptable Tragedy
Today I was shocked after opening up Twitter and seeing that U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona) had been shot and that several deaths resulted from a shooting rampage at a Safeway in Tucson, Ariz.
Like many others in this country, I immediately asked why to no one in particular. It is one of those moments in which we blurt out something knowing that there isn't anyone to hear it or for for which there isn't a rational answer. Death rampages like we witnessed today only haunt and bewilder us.
When I drank my Cafe Au Lait earlier in the morning, I fully intended on watching NFL football in the afternoon. But, I didn't. My eyes have been glued to the TV and the coverage of this shooting. I was pulled to the coverage in a similar manner as when the Virginia Tech shootings happened or when the bridge in Minneapolis-St. Paul failed.
As I watched news segments on MSNBC, CNN and Fox, in horror, I began experiencing a rash of emotions, mostly anger but also hurt for all those people that were victims and suffered through the trauma of a devastating time. I felt for the families of the victims severely impacted by this tragic event.
I felt a twinge when I learned about the Federal Judge who died after wandering over to the Safeway as a courtesy to greet Rep. Giffords. I was deeply sorrowful when I heard that a nine-year old girl had died. She went to the Giffords event because she had an interest in politics and wanted to learn more about government. She might have made gone into public service, finding ways to help people. No more - her hopes, her family's dreams, are over. A 9/11 baby (born in 2001), whose grandfather was former Philadelphia Phillies manager Dallas Green, will be buried and a family has to say goodbye to a daughter far too soon.
I was angered when I found out that a 76-year old man herocially died as he stood in the line of fire to protect his wife. I was upset that six people, and possibly more to come, had died in this senseless act of violence.
Later on the Daily Beast, I read an article by Eleanor Clift (www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-01-08/gabrielle-giffords-eleanor-clift-on-the-congresswoman-she-knows/ about Giffords' concern over the dangers of extreme political rhetoric that involved vandalism of her own home political office. I watched as MSNBC carried interviews with Gifford about her feelings on the hate-filled and gun-themed discourse that filled campaigns from east to west and north to south this past fall and has continued to this tragic day.
All of the talk about reloading, and taking aim at politicians gave me a bit of discomfort last fall. I couldn't believe when Sarah Palin put up map that targeted politicians by placing crosshairs where a pin or some other icon might have been used. All through this recent campaign season, we heard, both on the left and right, about taking up arms and aiming at those who stand against what we believe.
While I have problems with over-the-top rhetoric, I don't believe that the murderous actions of Loughner lays anywhere but with him, an irrational, radical and deranged gunman.
Whether this man Loughner was persuaded to action by some of the politican rantings is unclear. Yet, as the national discourse continues on this tragic story, it gives us a chance to clean up our act. We aren't the wild, wild west anymore. A civilized society needs rational, common sensical behavior. It is my thought that in this tragedy we have a chance to make this a learning moment. We need to change this political discourse that wanders down a slippery slope.
I find Dennis Hennigan's comments renouncing the ideology that "guys with guns makes the rules" (blog.bradycampaign.org/?p=3088) is discourse that needs a forum. I am a believer in the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms but one right shouldn't trump another (right to peacable assembly). When over 100,000 people every year are shot or killed (more than 31,000 die annually), we need to address guns laws and regulations. No longer can we operate with a "wild west" mentality. I will not suggest that we make radical changes in gun laws but rather we hold a national dialogue on what we can do to make society safer while protecting necessary personal freedoms.
It is time to clean up the political rhetoric that advocates violent actions. Commentary like Sharron Angle's "second amendment remedies" during the campaign needs to be publicly castigated and stopped.
At a vigil for Rep. Giffords, a man said, "you can't kill hope with a bullet," but you can create devastation. We need to find ways to stop this violence and hatred. I don't know the answers, I just know we must find them.
Leaders in the country must show the way, and lead my example. Ending the violent discourse should be one direction. People shouldn't fear going into the public marketplace to listen and talk with their elected representatives. It shouldn't be unsafe for the youth of this country to do likewise. But, if we continue this hate-filled rhetoric toward people of another party, whether liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican or Independent, then we will find a our Democracy has turned into a bloody battlefield.
America is the greatest country in the world but one that has responsibility to our citizenry. We must address violence in society and a first step is coming together and ending this political vitriol of hate. It is time that we showed respect and courtesy while we are debating issues. We won't agree on many things - that is good - but the debate should also be without discourse that suggests violent overtures.
Our Founding Fathers would expect that from us. So do our children.
Like many others in this country, I immediately asked why to no one in particular. It is one of those moments in which we blurt out something knowing that there isn't anyone to hear it or for for which there isn't a rational answer. Death rampages like we witnessed today only haunt and bewilder us.
When I drank my Cafe Au Lait earlier in the morning, I fully intended on watching NFL football in the afternoon. But, I didn't. My eyes have been glued to the TV and the coverage of this shooting. I was pulled to the coverage in a similar manner as when the Virginia Tech shootings happened or when the bridge in Minneapolis-St. Paul failed.
As I watched news segments on MSNBC, CNN and Fox, in horror, I began experiencing a rash of emotions, mostly anger but also hurt for all those people that were victims and suffered through the trauma of a devastating time. I felt for the families of the victims severely impacted by this tragic event.
I felt a twinge when I learned about the Federal Judge who died after wandering over to the Safeway as a courtesy to greet Rep. Giffords. I was deeply sorrowful when I heard that a nine-year old girl had died. She went to the Giffords event because she had an interest in politics and wanted to learn more about government. She might have made gone into public service, finding ways to help people. No more - her hopes, her family's dreams, are over. A 9/11 baby (born in 2001), whose grandfather was former Philadelphia Phillies manager Dallas Green, will be buried and a family has to say goodbye to a daughter far too soon.
I was angered when I found out that a 76-year old man herocially died as he stood in the line of fire to protect his wife. I was upset that six people, and possibly more to come, had died in this senseless act of violence.
Later on the Daily Beast, I read an article by Eleanor Clift (www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-01-08/gabrielle-giffords-eleanor-clift-on-the-congresswoman-she-knows/ about Giffords' concern over the dangers of extreme political rhetoric that involved vandalism of her own home political office. I watched as MSNBC carried interviews with Gifford about her feelings on the hate-filled and gun-themed discourse that filled campaigns from east to west and north to south this past fall and has continued to this tragic day.
All of the talk about reloading, and taking aim at politicians gave me a bit of discomfort last fall. I couldn't believe when Sarah Palin put up map that targeted politicians by placing crosshairs where a pin or some other icon might have been used. All through this recent campaign season, we heard, both on the left and right, about taking up arms and aiming at those who stand against what we believe.
While I have problems with over-the-top rhetoric, I don't believe that the murderous actions of Loughner lays anywhere but with him, an irrational, radical and deranged gunman.
Whether this man Loughner was persuaded to action by some of the politican rantings is unclear. Yet, as the national discourse continues on this tragic story, it gives us a chance to clean up our act. We aren't the wild, wild west anymore. A civilized society needs rational, common sensical behavior. It is my thought that in this tragedy we have a chance to make this a learning moment. We need to change this political discourse that wanders down a slippery slope.
I find Dennis Hennigan's comments renouncing the ideology that "guys with guns makes the rules" (blog.bradycampaign.org/?p=3088) is discourse that needs a forum. I am a believer in the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms but one right shouldn't trump another (right to peacable assembly). When over 100,000 people every year are shot or killed (more than 31,000 die annually), we need to address guns laws and regulations. No longer can we operate with a "wild west" mentality. I will not suggest that we make radical changes in gun laws but rather we hold a national dialogue on what we can do to make society safer while protecting necessary personal freedoms.
It is time to clean up the political rhetoric that advocates violent actions. Commentary like Sharron Angle's "second amendment remedies" during the campaign needs to be publicly castigated and stopped.
At a vigil for Rep. Giffords, a man said, "you can't kill hope with a bullet," but you can create devastation. We need to find ways to stop this violence and hatred. I don't know the answers, I just know we must find them.
Leaders in the country must show the way, and lead my example. Ending the violent discourse should be one direction. People shouldn't fear going into the public marketplace to listen and talk with their elected representatives. It shouldn't be unsafe for the youth of this country to do likewise. But, if we continue this hate-filled rhetoric toward people of another party, whether liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican or Independent, then we will find a our Democracy has turned into a bloody battlefield.
America is the greatest country in the world but one that has responsibility to our citizenry. We must address violence in society and a first step is coming together and ending this political vitriol of hate. It is time that we showed respect and courtesy while we are debating issues. We won't agree on many things - that is good - but the debate should also be without discourse that suggests violent overtures.
Our Founding Fathers would expect that from us. So do our children.
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