I grew up in the Sixties, era of assassinations. Even before the people’s choice of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was undone in 2011 by a madman’s bullet, I always respected the courage our politicians show when they make themselves available to their constituency.
Newly elected interim congressman Ron Barber is starting his service with a courageous stand for the constitutional right of the people peacefully to assemble. The citizens who came out to meet their representative were are saying ‘no’ to the culture of fear and pre-emptive violence that drives and divides us. This simple act of meeting freely in public is a powerful nonviolent testimony of faith in the American people and the democratic process. From the AZ Central…
TUCSON — Newly sworn-in congressman Rep. Ron Barber, who was injured in a mass shooting last year along with then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, held his first “Congress on Your Corner” event with southern Arizona constituents on Saturday.
Giffords conducted 21 of the informal meet-and-greet events during her more than four years in office, including one on the day of the shooting — Jan. 8, 2011. The rampage left six dead and 13 wounded, including Giffords and Barber, her then-district director.
Giffords relinquished the seat in January to concentrate on her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head. Barber, a Democrat, won a special election to replace her earlier this month. He was sworn in Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
About 300 people showed up at Saturday’s event outside a Tucson grocery store as temperatures topped 100 degrees, Barber spokesman Mark Kimble said. Visitors ranged from other survivors of the mass shooting and well-wishers to people who had concerns about their federal student loans or veteran’s benefits, he said.
The democratic process was violated by the murderous attack that took the lives of six innocent people and wounded thirteen. Ron Barber is showing physical and moral courage by refusing to let the gun rule our politics.
I think you’re not quite so enthusiastic about the right to peaceably assemble when it’s a Tea Party rally.
It’s nice to know that you seem to realize Giffords was shot because an apparent schizophrenic was following imaginary commands,not someone fired up by the “Tea Party”.I realize how many of you leftists would’ve wanted it to be a Tea Party follower so you could start a witch hunt.
What I find more interesting is that it’s always the wrong people being assassinated. I mean, come on, I hate to use him as an example but I can’t think of a more worth beneficial of a retroactive abortion than Hitler himself. Yet of the attempts made on him none succeeded.
Instead we saw President John F. Kennedy, AG Robert Kennedy Rev Martin Luther King Jr., an even council member Harvey Milk cut down in their prime by assassins. Why couldn’t for example Ronald Wilson Reagan, or Richard Milhouse Nixon or dare I say even George Walker Bush been the recipients of such acts. Well, at least in the case of Reagan we know someone tried but was unsuccessful.
I think it’s we liberals – we don’t have a taste for assassination even when it’s blatantly necessary.
I was inspired to write this post after reading the comments on Yahoo news. There was a string of vicious insults to Gabby Giffords and ill wishes to Ron Barber. I think it made internet troll’s heads explode that Ron Barber had the balls to continue a dignified civil way of governance even when the worst had happened. Not to mention the 300 citizens who came to see him. That kind of courage puts some people to shame.
It’s nice to see what progressives are really about.
nonviolent civil society, refusal to retreat into fear, dedication to serving the public good– that kind of thing.
And therefore,the commenter who suggested that three presidents should have been assassinated and describes himself as a liberal,is right?
And please never mention the rule of law again-please qualify it with the term “cafeteria style”.Please don’t strain your elbow patting yourself on the back.
BTW i really can’t stand Obama,but I hope no one tries to take him out anywhere but the ballot box.The man himself I don’t care about,but such an event would cause terrible strife we don’t need.The scum at MSNBC and their brethren in the MSM are already laying the ground for mutual hate-and they think they’ll be immune.