Tucson Tragedy

Who among us this morning isn't saddened by yesterday's outrageous killing of 6 and wounding of 14 in Tucson.  Anger is the only word that describes how we Americans feel toward the person(s) who did this.  All we can do is pray.  Pray for ourselves, because the killer is one of us.

In time to follow, we will devour what the news reporters toss out for our hungry minds, and then we will make our own judgments accordingly.  My first thought was......what is the background of this 22-year-old?  is mental illness involved?  illegal drug usage involved?  what and who influenced him to do this?  was he getting the help he needed?

This is America.  A concerned Congresswoman was simply 'bringing Congress to her corner' to listen to what ordinary people had to say.  That's exactly what we here in America want.....our leaders to bring themselves down to our size and simply listen to us and then go to Washington and fight to protect our interests.

Today's blog isn't meant to recap the media, but I have to talk about it.  Sitting here in my home, I feel so sorry for the families and friends of the victims whose lives are changed forever.  I know firsthand what the horrific pain of an untimely and wrongful death feels like.  There's no describing it.

The rest of us in this country need to take a good look at what our young people are seeing and hearing during their formative years to reach a point where they feel the need to go out on a rampage to set things straight with a gun.  Migod, something has to be radically wrong.

Maybe deep down I do have an axe to grind here.  Is it possible that our media is partially to blame for the continuous slam-and-bam reporting?  Pick up a newspaper, turn on the television or radio, and the first thing one hears or reads is one congressional party slamming the other.  All we see them do is fight, argue, and bicker while the middle class is slowly sinking into oblivion.  Why in hell can't the two parties put all their educated heads together to solve our problems instead of ramming their heads together like a bunch of billy goats. 

Oh, I'm fully aware that the party differences have to be made known to us, but what are the young people learning by watching this stupid foray?  Where do respect and honesty come into play?  It's sad that it takes an unspeakable tragedy like this for a Republican to openly say something positive about a Democrat. 

Each of us will form our own private opinions about the killer and his insane reasons for doing what he did.  All sorts of blameful issues will come to the top, like cream.  But, if every single legal American citizen would make random efforts to be respectful and honest....in the arena and outside the arena.....maybe we could bring this country back to where it needs to be.  Perhaps that sounds like I'm a naive ninny, but be that as it may.  All one has to do is stop and take a good look at our social problems, and it's scary.  I've always professed to be a die hard optimist and defender of our justice system.  But, while the Republicans and Democrats are busy acting like spatting little children, we just might have the rug pulled out from under us.