Traumatic Terror in Tucson

It's time to Break It Down!

President Obama will visit Tucson today. In preparation for his visit, I can only assume he spent at least a portion of last night reading Dickens. To satisfy any portion of the Left, Right, and/or Center, his speech, at the University of Arizona, will avail, if nothing else, an unforgiving test of “Great Expectations.” The tragic events that transpired last weekend in Tucson, which resulted in a gunman shooting 19 people, killing 6 of them, and seriously wounding U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, serve as the horrific backdrop for Mr. Obama’s next big speech.

Critics and pundits alike have already identified what he must do to be successful. It is quite clear, unless all sides agree to concede ground; the principals will all come away mouthing the famous Jagger lyrics, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” Of course, as is the norm in contemporary American society, some have already declared his effort a failure. But really, this is not the President’s story. Rather, it is about the pain, suffering, and in 6 cases, the untimely demise of the victims.

There has been an active debate, and the usual finger-pointing with the intent to identify who is responsible for the senseless acts of violence put upon unsuspecting victims attending a “Congress on the Corner” event. Citizens came out to meet, greet, and engage their local District Congresswoman. It was a simple Saturday in Tucson; or so they thought. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. It was, instead, a life altering, and in some cases, a life ending outing.

The dispute revolves around the immediate assertion by the Left that Sarah Palin, the Tea Party Movement, and Conservative Republicans have so toxically infused contemporary political discourse that it led to Saturday’s massacre. The Right, in turn has accused the Left of politicizing the tragedy, and quite naturally, of falsely attributing to Ms. Palin, and the GOP-T Party, any responsibility whatsoever, for the shootings.

There is more, not surprisingly. Gun Control supporters insist that Arizona’s lax gun laws contributed to the tragedy. The gun lobby, the NRA, and extollers of the Second Amendment above all others, have responded on cue; not only do guns not kill people, the only logical antidote to gun violence is more guns. In other words, as one spokesperson put it, if Representative Giffords’ staff had been armed, and/or if members of the crowd had been carrying guns, it is unlikely that 19 people would have been shot before the gunman was brought down.  Draw your own inferences!

Another tapestry unfolding in the backdrop is the ongoing Immigration controversy that is roiling the State of Arizona. It is clear that some citizens of this border state feel threatened by the assimilation of “too many” of their neighbors form the South. Arizona, one of only 3 States, along with Alaska, and Vermont, permits anyone over the age of 21 to carry a concealed weapon without a background check. To them a gun is the ultimate “great equalizer;” the one thing that enables a person to feel safe.

Finally, there is one other dynamic that may be difficult for some to fathom. Arizona is a part of the historic “Old Wild West.” Representative Giffords’ District, specifically, includes the town of Tombstone, the O.K. Corral, and Cochise County. So the legacy of gun fights and the ghosts of Virgil, Morgan, and Wyatt Earp evoke proud memories. Representative Giffords, who owns a Glock 9mm, has incorporated references to this heritage in her stump speeches. She also opposed tighter controls on owning weapons, and on renewing a ban on assault weapons.

So how did Sarah Palin and the GOP-T Party even enter this conversation? The question, though an apt one, has a tortuous answer. Ms. Giffords, considered a moderate Democrat, supported the Health Care Reform initiative. In response, Ms. Palin placed a map on her website showing 20 Congressional Districts, denoted by gun sights, which she called bulls’ eyes. Below the map appeared 20 corresponding names, including that of Representative Giffords. Those who defend Ms. Palin say the graphic was strictly metaphoric…and perhaps it was. Who knows?

Media reports note this is not the first time that Representative Giffords has been threatened. Her local office was ransacked shortly after the Health Care vote. Moreover, during a gathering in the summer of 2009, similar to Saturday’s, an attendee dropped a gun on the floor. The Congresswoman reported later, “At no point did I ever feel in danger, and at no point did I ever feel there was a problem.” With that outlook, it was probably even more difficult for her to envision what unfolded four days ago.

What authorities do know is:

• A young man named Jared Lee Loughner shot the Representative in the head from point blank range with a Glock 19 9mm

• He continued shooting others

• His shots resulted killing 6 persons (including, a Chief aid to the Representative, a Federal Judge, and, ironically as it turns out, a 9-year old girl who was born September 11, 2001)

• Representative Giffords seems likely to survive; which under the circumstances should probably be deemed a miracle

• Mr. Loughner’s background has been scrutinized thoroughly, and he is characterized as troubled

• Reports suggest he is likely mentally unstable, and may have drug issues

• Authorities say Judy Clarke will represent Loughner; she has represented or counseled: 911 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Timothy McVeigh, Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, Atlanta Olympic Bomber Eric Rudolph, and South Carolina murderer of her own toddlers, Susan Smith

In reality, there is a substantial amount of damning evidence that suggests Sarah Palin and her associates’ rhetoric influenced on the events that unfolded in Tucson last weekend. However, it is circumstantial, and far from conclusive.

It is my opinion that Ms. Palin has contributed her fair share to the deterioration of civility in the exchange of political ideas. But let’s not pretend that politics has ever been anything other than a rough and tumble sport. Recall that Vice President Alexander Hamilton’s death resulted from dueling former Secretary of the Treasury, Aaron Burr, on Jul 11, 1804. Today’s incendiary talk, while lacking in grace and tact, absolutely does not constitute an all time low; far from it. So, let’s not over reach, and in so doing, give Ms. Palin more credit…or blame, than she is due.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrielle_Giffords

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_E._Kelly

http://judgepedia.org/index.php/John_Roll

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/report-giffords-staffer-gabe-zimmerman-among-the-dead.php

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8249178/Arizona-shooting-dead-Dorwan-Stoddard.html

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7832686-rip-christina-taylor-green-born-on-911-died-today-by-a-gunmans-hand

http://www.legacy.com/ns/obituary.aspx?n=dorothy-morris&pid=147730607&ua=snuxgqk%2Btjuw2mfaoloemq%3D%3D

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/09/nation/la-na-phyllis-schneck-20110110

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Lee_Loughner

http://www.remtek.com/arms/glock/model/9/19/

http://ashleyfmiller.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/sarah-palins-target-list-and-the-assassination-of-gabrielle-giffords/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/obama-arizona-speech-to-h_n_807694.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-powell/arizona-is-america_b_806449.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/01/09/2011-01-09_palin_put_a_target_on_her_she_should_have_known_the_dangers.html

http://ashleyfmiller.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/sarah-palins-target-list-and-the-assassination-of-gabrielle-giffords/

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/10/132764367/congresswoman-shot-in-arizona

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_congresswoman_shot

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40978517/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/08/arizona-congresswoman-reportedly-shot-public-event/

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/arizona-congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords-shot-in-arizona/developing/

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/politics&id=7887034

http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2011/01/08/breaking-rep-gabrielle-giffords-d-az-shot-at-public-event/

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/us/politics/09giffords.html

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/11/photos.az.shooting.victims/index.html?hpt=T2

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/01/11/political.rhetoric/index.html?hpt=T2

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/11/how-can-pres-obama-use-tucson-shootings-to-unite-country/?hpt=T2

http://www.startribune.com/politics/113158859.html

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/10/judy-clarke-who-defended-the-unabomber-will-represent-jared/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacarias_Moussaoui

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kaczynski

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Robert_Rudolph

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Smith