Tragedy in Tucson – Congresswoman Gabriel Gifford’s Shot
I live in Tucson. Today is the first anniversary of the tragic shooting of my Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords. This is my journal entry recording my thoughts and reactions of that day written on Jan. 19th.
“Gabrielle
Giffords was shot along with 16 others at the Safeway store on Ina and Oracle
(this is the one that gives our Picture Rocks food pantry their truckload of
food on Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at a “Congress on the Corner” meet and
greet event. A mentally ill 22 year old man opened fire on the long line of
people waiting to talk with her.
America Must Put Away the Hateful Words
The whole country was shocked and
it’s been on the news constantly. President Obama came to a memorial service
for the five dead (including Christine Taylor Greene, a nine year old 3rd
grade student who was just elected to serve on her school’s student council)
held at the University of Arizona. There were as many people attending inside
as outside the stadium. He said all of the exactly right things, including that
earlier after he’d left Gabrielle’s bedside, when her close congressional
friends were visiting, she’d opened her eyes for the first time!
He concluded with the idea that
America must put away the hateful words, become more respectful in our debates
and live up to the ideals and dreams of young Christina and all the other
children in our country.
Season of Healing
Diane Sawyer, ABC news anchor
interviewed Mark Kelly, astronaut and Gaby’s husband. Their love Story and his
strong quiet devotion to her really touched my heart. It was my
thought/impression that Gaby had agreed to this “mission” in life when she came
to earth (she has been the epitome of what a congresswoman should be) because
she’d done her job so well, but the nation is heading for a political disaster
with violence becoming more and more prevalent. Perhaps Gaby’s valiant fight to
survive (I made a note in the margin of my journal here that Gaby was voted the
most courageous military spouse by soldiers on May 5th) and her
husband’s kind loving response to this tragedy, the death of Christine, so
young and perfect, as well as President Obama’s speech and the outpouring of
love from Tucson may bring about a season of healing.
A Very Personal Connection
My
daughter’s first husband had told her that he’d planned on taking their four
year old son the event, but the little guy had turned off the alarm clock.
Whew! Both my daughter and her current husband believe that little boy has had
other precognitive events, warning others about something and not being
listened to and the event happened. I so very much want my grandson to grow up
and become a priesthood holder who can use this gift from God to benefit His Kingdom on Earth and prepare for Christ’s
second coming. I am so glad that he turned his daddy’s alarm clock off that
morning.”
Remembering is a Sunday Experience
It is
fitting that today, Sunday, the first anniversary of this tragic event, is a day
to do some remembering and reflecting. Today, there will be TV specials (at
least here in Tucson) with a review of all the milestones of Gaby’s recovery.
They will interview the survivors and surviving families of those who were
killed. It is my hope that this remembering will feature all of the good things
that have come from that horrible tragic event on January 8th last
year.
Now I ask these questions:
Have we put
away the hateful words?
Have we
become more respectful in our debates?
Are we
living up to the ideals and dreams of our young children?
No comments:
Post a Comment