USA Politics

Yeah, I actually felt bad for the Sheriff, he said the judge and the Congresswoman were/are friends of his.  And the reporters are amazing (sarcasm implied) -- I know its their job, but they ask the same question in 20 different ways and get the same answer.  I guess they are still looking for one or two more people that are involved-- they said that one person was in his 50's. 

Still an amazing/crazy thing.  The spokesman (which I believe was the Sheriff, but I'm not sure) was making a point to the press that people in public office are subject to threats every day of their life, and that because of situations like this, it will become more difficult to find upstanding, decent people to hold these positions.  We all have a hard time with many politicians, but I never have wanted to see something like this happen.
 
Onhell said:
Well, the Congresswoman Giffords was the intended target. The judge unfortunately was just there wrong place wrong time from the several reports. As for the other people, they have not released names as they have not had a chance to inform next-of-kin, so it is to protect privacy.
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No no, my point was that by reading the headline you get the picture that only one person was killed, and several wounded.  Just because one of the killed is a federal judge doesn't mean that the other five shouldn't be mentioned; they could have had a headline like "Federal judge and five others dead, congresswoman among 12 wounded in shooting" if they wanted to emphasise that one of them was a judge.  The title as they had it is, to me, a slap in the face to all the other victims and their families.
 
Oh, I see. You're right, CNN was misinformed since right off the bat it was know that there were at least 6 dead and 5 wounded. By the 6pm conference the number for dead remained the same, but it ended up being 19 (yup NINETEEN) wounded.
 
The whole 24 hour news cylcle/internet has it's good points, you don't have to wait for the morning paper and the evening news, the bad side is versus a smaller group of general professionals, there are a large group
 
President Obama will speak at the University of Arizona (in Tucson) this Wednesday at 6p. I plan to be there early.

I attended Griffords' vigil and it was quite the turn out. I had my issues with it, but overall a very thoughtful and heartfelt event that brought the city together.
 
I'd imagine.

I'm stunned beyond belief that the stupid church from Kansas is going to picket the funeral of the 9yr old girl.  I'm almost speechless.
 
So this just gets sadder by the second. The news finally released "normal" pictures of the shooter and I recognized him in a second. I actually tutored him in Logic last year. He was very nice, overly polite, a bit jumpy, but nothing too strange... liked his personal space. The "math teacher" is a good friend and coworker of mine.

It's so... surreal, to not only be at the center of a media storm and great tragedy, but to have such close connections to it. Tucson is still a very small town :(
 
I spoke to a customer today who's daughter played with the girl who was killed.

Fucking crazy man.
 
That's what I have a hard time wrapping my mind around... The Tucson Metro area is of 1 million people, yet I know everybody involved either personally or to a very close degree ( a good friend of mine worked for Giffords two years ago) and so does most of the town. I guess this is what columbine felt like...
 
I'll admit I was worried when I heard the news. I could see you poking your face in at an event like that if you were in the area.
 
Yeah, I was glad Onhell posted so quickly when the event took place.

That is an event that rocks your perception of the world, Onhell.  Its always 'someone else' that those things happen to.  Until now.
 
Thank you both for the concern. So Obama speaks today, but I'm sick and I've heard reports that people are already in line to see him even though doors don't open until 4 and he doesn't speak until 6.
 
The Memorial just ended and I have to say I am still wiping tears from my eyes. Earlier in the thread I mentioned how this country's diversity was a point of contention and strife. Cornfed pointed out that he as many others considered such detail part of what makes America great. Well, I have to say, Cornfed, you are right.

Seeing how in the past few days people from all walks of life have come together and, as pointed out by the president, have shown love, heart and support is just... amazing.
 
Agreed.

If I were to pull out my soap box, I'd say that everytime someone pulls out a gun to silence a voice of freedom, democracy, and unity, they just pull the threads tighter and strengthen our belief.  It is a horrible thing that something like this has to happen to make us stand straighter.... but just watch someone try to speak against what any of those people stood for. 
 
Amazing you knew the guy.  Even though I was disappointed at efforts to politicize this tragedy, glad to know that the community turned out in force to support the families.
 
I'm watching Obama's speech from the Memorial Service. This is probably the best speech of his entire presidency. Incredible, absolutely, 100% knocked it out of the park.
As an addendum, I just want to say that Obama's dye job is brilliant.

He's been almost 100% grey since the beginning of the Democratic primary, but he uses it as a tool. When he needs to appear stern and fatherly, he lets it go. When he needs to appear young and vibrant, it's dyed. Seriously.
 
Obama gave a very good speech, this is the area where Presidents in general are at their best (Bush at Ground Zero, Clinton after Oklahoma City/Columbine, Reagan after the Space Shuttle,e tc).  Where they rise above the details of govenrment and speak in borader terms.
 
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