Violence in Tucson, Arizona 010811

 One of fifty "Faces of Hope" printed in a book

Fifty young souls born on a day of horror

That proves there is blessing from tragedy

There are wonders left to see and to grow

 

Until nine years later on a gorgeous Saturday

In the middle of the Sonoran desert town of Tucson

A deranged young man, fueled by violence and hate

Feeling rejected since meeting a congresswoman in 2007

Left his home with a gun and ammunition with one goal

 

Violence

 

A family among many families left with grief and horror

Horror that eclipsed the events of September 11, 2001

For this grief was in their laps,blood spilled on their own feet

Loved ones wounded, friends and co workers perished

And among the dead

One little girl, Christina Green

 

Her love of baseball as well as her father and grandfathers affiliation with the game

Brought over 5000 employees from baseball leagues across the country

Into the home of this one little girl on the day of her funeral

 

This one little girl will live on through the donation of her organs

To give life and hope to children who desperately need hope and life

 

This one little girl will live on as she is mourned, loved, remembered

By her family, by the people in Oro Valley, by all the residents in Tucson

 

This one little girl will be remembered every time her baseball teammates put on their uniforms

For they have a new patch on their sleeves that give their support and love to Christina

 

This one little girl will live on

Can we, as Americans, continue to live on

With the knowledge that violence begets violence?

Will we, as prudent, moral people, stop the use of targeting other politicians

During, before and after every election?

How can we, as humans, remember Christina who had begun her interest in government

From the day of her birth

And not attempt to change the way we have allowed our politicians

To use imagery involving violence against their opponents?

 

It may seem like such a small thing

It may seem the two are not related

You may say that the assassin was just deranged

But he was at war with our government

And he did only what our government had shown him was acceptable

 

Violence

 

Are violent talk and violent words, verbal, on billboards or on the Internet

Acceptable to you as a way to get your point across?

Is it allowable to say "well that's just talk, that doesn't mean they will become violent"

Or perhaps it becomes just a matter of theatrics?

We really know that what is said or shown or done by our government officials is just

TO GET THE AMERICANS ATTENTION

 

Well, they have gotten our attention, and they have seeded their words

In the minds of rational and irrational Americans all over this country

 

So I ask again,

Is it acceptable to you for our government to use violent imagery

As a way to get their point across and to get ur attention?

I ask again,

Do you believe that violence begets violence?

I ask you please to think on this:

Since we are still using violence to avenge 091101

Have we brought about ANY change?

Are we at PEACE?

Have we been a good role model for those fifty Faces of Hope?

 

Wait for us Christina Green, We pray you will not be ashamed of your country.