Millions of words about the tragedy in Arizona have been written, spoken, tweeted and blogged already. And more will follow. The blame game started immediately.
I'm guilty of thinking the worst of those with whom I disagree. I'm happy I wasn't near a computer or such at the time as I would have added to the noise.
My thoughts are focused on nine-year old Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim of this violence. She was at the event because she had just been elected to her school's student council and she wanted to learn more about government and politics.
Everyone is talking about the destructive nature of our political rhetoric and Christina-Taylor's death is, perhaps, the metaphor for what this is rhetoric is doing - it is destroying our future and that of our children. The Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said it best Saturday night, "Pretty soon, we're not going to be able to find reasonable, decent people who are willing to subject themselves to serve in public office."
It breaks my heart to know that even the deaths of these six people may not stop the rhetoric; I've heard that the Westboro Baptist Church, who have protested at the funerals of our soldiers and at Elizabeth Edward's funeral, plan to show up at Christina-Taylor's funeral. I pray that they don't.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
It's time to do something and it can start with each of us. Maybe it won't make any difference, but I have to believe that it will. It's the only way I can get through this.
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2 comments:
Thx for your thoughts Elizabeth. I thought about blogging about it today, but it was too close to home. My daughter-in-law was across the street having breakfast in Tucson when it happened. And my husband is being sworn in to serve for 4 years on city council on Thursday. He assured me there is bullet-proof glass in the council chambers. Do I want to know this?
Perhaps when it is further removed from today, you'll be able to reflect on it via your blog. I wasn't sure about writing about it either, but I know that sometimes my posts are part therapy.
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