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| Rep. Gabrielle Giffords |
The Honorable Judge John Roll, a friend of Giffords, had just left morning Mass (as was his usual routine on a Saturday morning, going to Mass at the cathedral then going home to "due the floors") and heard Representative Giffords was doing a "Congress on the Corner" (a town hall-like meeting, she was fond of doing), so he decided to stop by and say hello. Judge Roll ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A 22 year old gunman opened fire on the small crowd. It is estimated there were 24 to 36 people there - and 19 of them were shot! Judge Roll, may he rest in peace, is among 6 who died today, another was a 9 year old girl - and we don't know anything more, yet, of the other 4 who were gunned down.
For those who lost their lives today we pray, eternal rest grant unto them, o Lord; may your Perpetual Light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen.
Addendum January 10, 2011:
Monday morning, about 48 hours after the incident, Giffords is still hanging in there with no deterioration of her condition, which is a good sign. She's under a drug induced coma to allow her body to heal. Time will tell but things are still looking optimistic for her prognosis.
Those killed were:
Addendum January 10, 2011:
Monday morning, about 48 hours after the incident, Giffords is still hanging in there with no deterioration of her condition, which is a good sign. She's under a drug induced coma to allow her body to heal. Time will tell but things are still looking optimistic for her prognosis.
Those killed were:
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| Left to right top row: Christina Taylor-Green, Dorothy Morris, Hon. John Roll; bottom row: Phyllis Scheck, Dorwin Stoddard and Gabriel Zimmerman (AP Photo) |
A word of note, Christina Taylor-Greene was born on September 11, 2001 amidst the tragedy of that day - and dies on a day of tragedy as well. As notable as these two events are Christina's parents make it clear, Christina's life was full of ambition and energy - she was their little angel (I would say she still is) and will be remembered that way. She had recently received her First Holy Communion. The reason Christina was there was due to the fact that she had recently been elected to the 3rd Grade Student Council at her school and was very interested in politics. She was there to learn more about Gabrielle Giffords and her political life. Christina was also pictured as a "Faces Of Hope" child (portraits of children born on 9/11).
It is reported that Dorwin Stoddard gave his life shielding his wife from the crazed gunman. His wife is reported to be among the wounded as well.
It's my understanding the gunman is psychotic. I hope this tragedy is used to focus on the need to have early detection and treatment of mental illnesses. Instead of this, I see that some are starting to scream for more gun control and monitoring of so-called 'right-wing' extremist groups. How taking guns away from law-abiding citizens and monitering right wing groups is going to help us (when nearly of the political violence in America has always come from the left) is a mystery to me. But that's the way liberal think (?)
ReplyDeleteWell, anyone who would open fire on a group of defenseless civilians merely gathering to ask questions of their congressman/woman has to be considered a bit psychotic. I would agree that I hope more is done to detect and treat the mentally disabled/challenged people of this country. The state of mental health support in the US is deplorable.
ReplyDeleteIt does not appear that this gunman, whom I am deliberately avoiding naming as to not further glorify his dastardly deeds, is not part of any "right-wing, extremist group" - he acted alone.
As for gun control, Rep. Giffords is a LONGTIME supporter of gun rights and is a gun owner herself. I doubt she would favor anything to remove the rights of law abiding gun owners.