ManicDDaily

I haven’t followed the lives and careers of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords or Federal Judge John Roll, much less that of the unnamed nine year old girl, all downed in the terrible shooting today in Tucson, Arizona.  I am sorry not to have paid more attention.

I haven’t yet been able to read much about Roll, but I find something extremely likeable in Giffords’ countenance; a friendliness, a lack of vanity, a straightforward intelligence.  (I think I may feel particularly drawn to her because she looks like she has the thin, overly-flat, hair that has dogged me my whole life.)

One can’t help but feel that the shooting was politically motivated;  the shooter (and possible accomplices) certainly may have lacked general emotional or mental stability, but the particular objects (liberal politicians) and means (guns) seem to be inspired by specific elements of political vitriol.   Giffords, in particular, had been metaphorically targeted by conservative groups for some time.  (She was, for example, one of those politicians depicted in the cross-hairs on conservative maps of districts to be won, propounded by those like Sarah Palin.)    Of course, none of those groups meant for this to happen;  I am genuinely sure that they are truly saddened.    Still terrible.

This entry was posted on January 9, 2011 at 12:06 am and is filed under news, Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.

Tags: Arizona shooting, John Roll, manicddaily, Manicddaily pencil drawing, political targetting, portrait of Gabrielle Giffords, Tucson shooting of Arizona congresswoman