my congresswoman was shot today

[Eden]

Indeed Crankin - disenfranchised isn't about not being in the majority. It isn't about not getting your way....

to deprive of a franchise, of a legal right, or of some privilege or immunity; especially : to deprive of the right to vote

[PamNY]

Yes, I always notice the term "disenfranchised."

Women didn't have the right to vote when my grandmother was born, and they hadn't had it very long when my mother was born.

[azfiddle]

I was hoping that this tragedy might have become an opportunity to promote dialogue between the political parties, and dial back the rhetoric and draw a clearer distinction between broadcast news and opinion. That hope was short-lived as I read the transcripts from various media hosts....Perhaps the members of Congress will be less combative and a little less entrenched in their positions after this, for a while anyway.

Personally, I am still deeply saddened by these events and looking for ways to channel my feelings into a constructive direction. I hope to attend the memorial at the University of Arizona tomorrow.

Here is a quote by Gabrielle Giffords herself, though I don't know the original context of the remarks:

"We know that silence equals consent when atrocities are committed against innocent men, women and children. We know that indifference equals complicity when bigotry, hatred and ignorance are allowed to take root. And we know that education and hope are the most effective way to combat ignorance and despair".

[OakLeaf]

More good news on her progress.

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-...,1099108.story

[lunacycles]

Thanks for your words, azfiddle. I am amazed and impressed TE moderators have allowed 5+ pages of this to continue, and that is probably due to the restraint most have shown, even if it has gotten "political" here and there.

No one deserves to be the recipient of violence, regardless of their beliefs. I do believe the politically-tainted, violence-promoting rhetoric washing over this country the last few years especially--regardless of whether those promoting it "mean it"-- has had the potential to affect those who are lonely, confused, and vulnerable to it, and this can have catastrophic effects, and I personally believe that is what occurred this last weekend in Tucson.

Personally, I am so tired of finger-pointing or needing to have some stance, but I do wish for a more compassionate society (perhaps naive!) as a result of this, and I thank Gabby Giffords (about whom I knew little til 3 days ago) for her good work before this event, and I honestly have been holding in my heart a wish for her complete recovery (or something close to it) so that she can have the opportunity engage in conversation with those who mindlessly "targeted" her, and therefore allow the deeper healing to happen.

[snapdragen]

thanks for your words, azfiddle. I am amazed and impressed te moderators have allowed 5+ pages of this to continue, and that is probably due to the restraint most have shown, even if it has gotten "political" here and there.

...

[Trek420]

...

Thanks! Thanks Jeff, thanks Susan. This is the best place in cyberspace.

It's been quite the new year. Those in the Bay Area may have heard of the young man who was shot while putting his sister in her car seat. His mother threw herself on him to protect him. It was too late.

The young man is the godson of my coworker/podmate There are too d@mn many people dying especially getting shot.

As cyclists we all may experience the escalation of tempers as a car revs behind us or races to cut us off. I just think people everywhere need to calm down and take care of each other because we are all in this tiny blue boat together.

[Bike Writer]

I refrain from jumping into the political fray out of respect for the dead and wounded in this tragedy, speaking only for myself I would feel like I was cheapening what they suffered. Their senseless deaths and injury deserve acknowledgment that evil exists - always has and always will - but what we must do is ensure that the person who committed this, when found guilty, is never given the opportunity to harm anyone else.

An observation of the discourse that has occurred here is that we are holding politicians on either side of the aisle to a higher standard that we are holding ourselves to. A breakdown in our "mini society" of this forum occurred quicker than a NY minute, tongues lashing, fangs barred, jabs were traded at lightening pace and yet we accuse the politicians, the news media (both the old guard and the new guard), society, talk TV, talk radio, movies, books, music or what have you of creating some kind of societal morass.

Reality shows that it's human nature to do these things. This world is a broken place and it didn’t start last month or 200 years ago, it happened near the beginning. Lest anyone thing that these comments are somehow self-righteous, know this – I am first among sinners.

Now watch the thread get shut down.