Category: Uncategorized

Tucson Can’t Mourn: Pundits Say We Fail at Collective Grief

Yesterday’s speech at University of Arizona’s McKale Center by President Obama honoring the victims of the January 8th mass shooting/assassination-attempt in Tucson was a great, inspiring bit of oratory. He’s quite politically deft, if he can give a speech both the right and the left are praising with enthusiasm.

And the way the ceremony started, with a Pascua Yaqui blessing, I think this really gave folks who live elsewhere a sense of the unique, funky nature of Tucson….which you can still find, if you look, though it’s getting harder.

But I am SO TIRED in the last 24 hours of hearing the east-coast, inside-the-beltway stuffed shirts (like Michael Gerson, good grief!) say that they didn’t think the “pep-rally-like” atmosphere at McKale Center yesterday was “appropriate” for a memorial speech. Apparently, when the 14,000 people in the sports area cheered during the speech, this was evidence of disrespect and lack of manners. Read this AP article for more.

The dead and wounded deserve respect; which, during the speech, they received in great measure. But there was lots to cheer about in the speech, too–for example, all the heroes present and the amazing medical progress the wounded survivors are making, as well as what looks like the miraculous recovery of Gabrielle Giffords: talk about statistically unlikely.

There was probably more crowd participation because there were many students present: and I’d say they were over-represented because they were the only ones who had the time and energy to stand in line for over 6 hours, which was the minimum time required to get in.

Tucson’s Heroes, And Why I’m Not a Citizen Journalist

There’s a reason citizen journalists and those who blog in their underwear about politics can’t hold a candle to trained reporters.

When it comes to news, I can only blog about what I hear (in my last post, I blogged about how Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords was reported to be dead). A real reporter should, ideally, have some training in the reporting and ethics of news; should have access to AP wire feeds; should occasionally read articles in the Columbia Journalism Review; and in general, know how to report. That’s why we need investigative journalists, not just amateur news bloggers!!

That said, it’s really strange to be living in Tucson, Arizona now; and I say this as a person who is sensitive to the collective.

I think when I first heard the news of the shooting, I became immediately aware that it would be an international incident and that it would also, likely, be a real watershed moment in the history of this country. Seriously. While mass shootings happen several times a year in this country, attempted assassinations of a members of Congress do not. This incident has the power to make us a better people, a better nation. I wonder if it will. I’m a bit of a cynic about Americans; which is too bad, as I am one. This whole thing could make our political system worse. But hopefully not.

I’ve spent the last 48 hours listening to the news. Local news, mostly; Tucson is a small town at heart. I was pleased to learn that it took 38 minutes from the time of the shooting to get the most grievously injured victims to the OR (operating room) at this city’s only trauma center. I was also really happy to see older Americans–white-haired, likely retired–interviewed on TV because they were the amazing individuals who jumped on the shooter and brought him to the ground and took his gun. Not young, beefy, virile men but older Americans.

I love any story in which people who are victimized by a cruel turn of events turn into the victors. I know that no one would want to be the victorious hero in such a terrible, horrifying circumstance such as this past weekend’s shooting; but, it’s lucky that there were heroes, and that they were just average folks who did something remarkable. I find it, personally, very inspiring; and I guess like many Americans I look at it as a glimmer of hope in a dark, dark time.

Thank you.

Gabrielle Giffords Shot

I was sewing this morning and heard breaking news on the radio that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot.

They didn’t say shot to death, but it was just confirmed she was shot in the head. Two people are dead, allegedly, and ten–twelve were transported by air to local hospitals. Someone with a semi-automatic weapon stormed a Safeway parking-lot town-hall public relations event, where the Representative was meeting constituents, and opened fire.

Well, now they’re reporting the Congresswoman is dead.

I really hate living in a world where such hateful violence is so widespread. When I heard the news 90 minutes ago I called a handful of friends, even the RN manager of the NICU where I work (she understands crisis management, like I do).

Now I just feel very depressed.

 

First Day of Quilting

Feeling very down today due to Baxter being gone. I searched for the name of his original owner, Chester Gronowski from Sun City, AZ; I found a fragment of his online obituary here and it made me a bit sad to read, as it says Baxter misses him, Chester died in August 2008. I’m sure for the last almost-2 years Baxter has really missed Chester.

Anyway. Above is my quilting effort for the day. If my machine holds up, I should make good progress.

BP Oil Catastrophe

It’s just one insult after another to Mother Earth; I wonder when as a species we’ll just go one step too far, if we haven’t already and don’t know it yet.

I can only regard the BP Oil Disaster with stunned disbelief and incredible sadness. Like the size of the universe we live in, our tiny mammal-brains really can’t grasp large numbers…unless those numbers come in the shape and size of a large-multiple Big Gulp convenience store soft drink. Suffice it to say, it’s a huge catastro-bleep involving such huge amounts of destruction it’s hard to grasp.

I heard Jerry Moran talk on the Thom Hartman program the other day; he was saying that BP actually had control over the air space over the site of the Deep Water Horizon, preventing anyone from flying nearby to take photos. Jerry’s website has sobering, moving photos of the Louisiana coastline; check it out here.

And of course for my de rigueur laugh for the day, it was Jon Stewart’s coverage of the oil disaster on tonight’s Daily Show; I’m pleased he takes on the president and any lack of clear response independent of Big Oil. It’s the June 8th episode; the link to the broadcast isn’t up yet.

I’m off to D.C. for 5 days tomorrow. I’ll be back Sunday and I’ll post the link then. As I have a hard enough time updating this blog from my sedate home in Tucson, I guess it’s obvious that I won’t be updating anything while I’m on the road. See you soon, next time w/photos of our nation’s capitol. I’m sure I’ll look very damp in all the humidity back there.

Oil Spill Redux Per Rachel Maddow

I’m guilty of watching the occasional bit of shrill TV news. I listen, more like it; I really couldn’t sit still and actually consume a whole hour of TV news unless I were bedridden. But if I listen while in the kitchen I don’t feel that bad.

I occassionally listen to Rachel Maddow; she is half Newfoundlander, after all. That’s really her charm, though this point is lost on most Americans.

This is a nice bit of analysis, in which she compares the current BP oil disaster to….an almost identical situation 30 years ago in the Gulf of Mexico. All that seems to have changed are the haircuts. And even those seem to be coming back into fashion.

Tucson Wildflower Bloom 2010: A Hike Among the Flowers

I hiked up to Romero Pools this morning with my folks; it’s a bit of an uphill slog through a stunning canyon to where there’s water after rain or snow melt. Since it’s a weekend, we got an early start and initially saw just a few people; but on the way back, we must’ve passed 150 people on the trail, out to see the water and amazing wildflower display.

Here’s the view going up into the canyon; you can see a bit of melting snow on the mountain tops:

Here’s some wildflowers….

…and more flowers along the trail….

….and, looking to the northwest to all the over-development northwest of Tucson, towards Ironwood National Monument…..more flowers….

Here’s mom on the trail, at this point there’s some elevation gain and the cactus gives way to shrubby oak trees:

And here’s my dad; I guess he’s feeling pretty good about being able to easily hike up and down steep mountains at age 73. I should be so lucky when I’m that age!

Soon it will be way too hot to do any daytime hiking. And all the flowers and water will be gone. Get out to hike and see the flowers while you can!

Another Trip to Catalina State Park

We got another half inch of rain yesterday, and it’s quite soggy in Tucson; but the day before that, I had a brief hike up at Catalina State Park with Bearbear and my pal India. Check out the saguaros and the water!

It looks shallow, but in parts it was knee deep–this, 6 days since the last rain–and that’s the height of the tip Bearbear’s ears. So, he was initially a bit resistant; as this was the last of multiple water crossings, he was clearly quite happy about it being over!