Senseless and Heartbreaking: The Tragedy in Tucson, Arizona

I’ve held off offering an opinion on the deaths in Tucson or  voicing my views on the near fatal shooting of Gabby Gifford and the wounding of thirteen others. I’m an opinionated woman. Anyone that knows me will tell you so. I’ve personally been involved in a media blitz where any news, right or wrong, was latched onto and spread rabidly. I refused to participate then and I refuse now.

I have been in contact with friends and fellow Officers from Tucson Law Enforcement. We are not talking about blaming Sarah Palin, Daily Kos or Clarence Dupnik. We are blaming the gunman who systematically took these lives. We are talking about the tragedy, the lives lost and the lives forever changed by the events on Saturday. We’re talking about Judge John Roll, Gabe Zimmerman, Dorwin Stoddard, Christina Greene, Dorthy Murray, and Phyllis Scheck. They had hopes and dreams and their loved ones want them back by their sides.

We are talking about the heroes who took down the gunman with risk to their own lives and stopped his killing rampage. These people are not cops or trained in any way to handle a situation such as this, but they did. What an incredible inspiration they are.

We are talking about the conditions of our mental health needs in our State. The men and women we deal with daily that worry us and leave us feeling dread when we drive away. We pray they do not harm innocent people, and we know there is nothing within the law we can do at this time.

We are hugging our families and praying for the loved ones of the lost. We are feeling extreme pressure because the President is coming to Tucson on Wednesday. We know that when ever a nut case commits a crime such as this it brings others of like mind out in full force. We want our President and Commander in Chief safe in our backyard.

Sarah, if you thought your map might incite someone to open fire and shoot innocent people you would not have posted it. The same goes for Daily Kos and the political words posted there. Sheriff Dupnik, your close friend Judge Roll was shot and killed and you are angry and frustrated by the events which happened on your watch. Representative Gifford would never have hosted such an event if she knew lives were in danger, and one way or another, Law Enforcement would not have been involved. I may not agree with all your words but your pain comes through.

We’ve given our moments of silence. Now let us not give the media and small minded politicians on the left and right, the chance to confuse or sway our feelings about this tragedy.

Instead, let us continue to offer prayers and support for the friends and families of Rep. Gifford and all the injured, as well as the classmates and family of Christina Greene the youngest victim, and the five other individuals who had their lives cut brutally short.