|
|
|
|
I cannot imagine anyone is unaware that America is stunned by the shootings that occured in an Arizona shopping center yesterday. The attack on Congresswoman Giffords and the death of a Federal judge is all over the news and the Sunday press reports.
The youthful attacker, age 22, managed to shoot and kill six people in a state besotted with violence and harsh retoric. Can we be surprised? There is talk of this young man being mentally ill, unhinged, lunatic and fanatic are the words being used. Most of that chatter is coming from political persons who must now be in fear for their own safety.
The Congresswoman was an LBGT rights supporter and she supported the current administrations's implimentation of health care. She has also received incredible amounts of hate mail and death threats. She is a Democrat and perceived as left wing. Does that make what happened acceptable?
Violence has become a way of life here in America. There are politicians that have commmented that if they cannot solve the ills of the country with ballots then we should resort to bullets. Much of that comes from those Tea Party folks and the darlings of the Right.
These are the same people of the very Christianized right who would deny the LBGT community a place at the table and those who have spoken out against any attempts to educate school children about the negative effects of bullying. What is their retoric teaching American youth? Ask the young man who just killed six people.
Perhaps what we have here is a teachable moment, but who needs to learn? The call to tone down the hate and the use of violent talk is out there. Work together or become isolated because of hateful speech is one of the suggestions for all those in public service.
It is about time that everyone see that words do have the power to embolden the bullies...and those who are considered fanatical or mentally ill. How many violent events will it take to change the attitudes? We are not there yet, but the road is getting shorter.
The reality is that those who support gun rights will not see that allowing a 22 year old lunatic the right to possess a gun which can shoot 20 people in a minute is wrong. These are the same people who would stand up in Congress and read the Constitution without understanding the irony of the moment.
These are the same people who would like to ammend the laws of the land with passages from the Bible without any understanding of the message it contains. The shooting of a politician makes great news today, let's hope the lesson is still remembered tomorrow.
[Updated on: Sun, 09 January 2011 15:11]
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Its been 2 very long days of reporting on the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Giffords. But I wanted to take a break and post the following for those of you who will be interested:
Openly Gay Intern Daniel Hernandez Jr. Credited With Saving Life Of Rep. Giffords
Daniel Hernandez Jr., the 20-year old student intern credited with saving the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, confirmed to the Dallas Voice this morning that he is openly gay.
Hernandez, who confirmed that he is gay in an interview with Instant Tea on Sunday morning, is a member of the City of Tucson Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.
“She’s been a great ally to the LGBT community,” Hernandez said of Giffords during the brief interview across a bad connection.
According to the Arizona Republic, Hernandez was standing about 30 feet from Giffords during the “Congress on Your Corner” event outside a Safeway store near Tucson. When the gunshots began, Hernandez ran toward them and began checking the pulses of people who’d been hit.
When Hernandez got to Giffords, he used his hand to apply pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap and held her upright so she wouldn’t choke on her blood. Hernandez used his hand to apply pressure to the wound until someone brought clean smocks from the meat department of the grocery store.
He stayed with Giffords until paramedics arrived, then climbed into an helicopter ambulance with her. On the way to the hospital, he squeezed her hand and she squeezed back
Hernandez is a junior at the University of Arizona where he is a political science major
The gentleman holding Rep. Giffords' hand in the below picture is Hernandez:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you for showing us this, Brody, I did in fact first read about Mr. Hernandez's gay affiliations on your website. 
I am however puzzled that none of the major news outlets seem to have noted that Mr. Hernandez is gay, or that he was on this LBGT Commission. What's up with that? Are we to be denyed a positive take on the heroics of a gay supporter for the Congresswoman?
I mean the news folks must know, the information is out there and they have told us of his University affiliations and his slight medical training. Is the fact that he is a gay man irrelevant? Perhaps in a generaton or two being gay will seem normal and irrelevant except for our private affairs, but for now we all need the affirmation.
Two ways to look at this. Either the media feels that his gay status doesn't matter any more than his ethnic background or eye color, or they are refusing to shed light on the LBGT association because presenting gay people in a positive light is not their calling.
In this time when so many are calling for everyone to tone down the hate speech and the retoric I would hope the truth about Mr. Hernandez will eventually be shown. What he did in the face of gunfire was heroic, but of course being outed in the national news will require some courage as well. I somehow think he will able to handle it.
Thank you, Mr. Hernandez, you deserve our appreciation.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
timmy
|
 |
Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13751
|
|
|
That the media has not broadcast his sexual orientation is a surprise.
I am truly pleasantly surprised.
I see no need to state the gunman's orientation and nor Mr Hernandez's
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Hernandez's sexual orientation should not be what defines the gentleman or his actions; nor should it be so with anyone of us.
Warren C. E. Austin
The Gay Deceiver
Toronto, Canada
"... comme recherché qu'un délice callipygian"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
saben
|
 |
On fire! |
Registered: May 2003
Messages: 1537
|
|
|
Nope- we'll just see more polarising dogmatic rhetoric.
This is a great political opportunity for those on the left. They won't let it pass by.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
|
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
|
] 
A Place of Safety
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
Will current events bring change? 
