Thoughts for a Fellow Old Schooler

[monzablue]

Just saw this pic of Gabrielle Giffords on a news story . . .

[StephenB]

All I see is a /6 exhaust on what appears to be a /5 ...

[fishkens]

Thanks for posting that. It prompted me to read more about her. Here's hoping that all goes well for her and everyone else targeted in that terrible shooting. So sad.

[fishkens]

Originally Posted by StephenB

All I see is a /6 exhaust on what appears to be a /5 ...

I'm assuming you haven't put 2 and 2 together yet. The bike disappears in the context of the story.

[marksbonneville]

Well said...I also hope for a speedy recovery.

Originally Posted by fishkens

Thanks for posting that. It prompted me to read more about her. Here's hoping that all goes well for her and everyone else targeted in that terrible shooting. So sad.

[StephenB]

Originally Posted by fishkens

I'm assuming you haven't put 2 and 2 together yet. The bike disappears in the context of the story.

No, I hadn't. There is so much sh*t going on in the world, it is very hard to keep track of every individual case. We're all responsible.

Wishing her a speedy recovery.

Without further comment from the Washington Post:
In an emotional news conference late Saturday, Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik (D) denounced the nation's vitriolic political climate and noted Arizona's part in the rancor after a controversial crackdown on illegal immigration.
"The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous, and unfortunately Arizona has become sort of the capital," Dupnik said. "We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."

[hardwaregrrl]

very much an advocate of motorcycle safety. Regardless of your political beliefs, she is an amazing woman. Here's to hoping she makes it through.

[Ben Carufel]

Was at the bar last night watching on the news. So sad. Didn't know she was an Airhead owner 'till seeing this.

I hope she makes a full recovery!

[Martian]

The respect of her constituents which she has was my first clue to the type of person she is. The more I learn about her the sadder it makes me that she was targeted. But I really get angry when I think of the other people this idiot attacked without cause. I'm not a violent person, believe that everything happens for a reason, and know that I'm not supposed to judge others, but God its hard to not want to hurt this kid.

[Wirespokes]

Since we may not all know what this is all about, it's a good idea to provide a link or copy/paste a news report. Here you go:


msnbc.com news services
updated 1/9/2011 6:37:15 AM ET 2011-01-09T11:37:15
TUCSON, Ariz. — A gunman opened fire as a congresswoman met with constituents outside a grocery store, killing Arizona's chief federal judge and five others and leaving the lawmaker fighting for her life in an attempted assassination that had Americans questioning whether divisive politics had driven the attack.

The shooting targeted Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, authorities said, and left the three-term congresswoman in critical condition after a bullet passed through her head. A shaken President Barack Obama called the attack "a tragedy for our entire country."

Giffords, 40, a moderate Democrat, narrowly won re-election in November against a Tea Party candidate who opposed her support of the health care law. Anger over her position became violent at times, with her Tucson office vandalized a few hours after the House passed the overhaul last March. More recently, at a Giffords event someone dropped a weapon out of their pants.

..The Pima County Sheriff's office listed the dead as:

•John M. Roll, 63, a federal district court judge.
•Gabriel Zimmerman, 30, Giffords' director of community outreach.
•Dorwin Stoddard, 76, a pastor at Mountain Ave. Church of Christ.
•Christina-Taylor Green, 9, a student at Mesa Verde Elementary.
•Dorthy Morris, 76.
•Phyllis Schneck, 79.
Police say the shooter was in custody, and people familiar with the investigation told NBC News that he was Jared Lee Loughner, 22. Other sources gave The Associated Press the same name.

His motivation was not immediately known, but Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik described him as mentally unstable and possibly acting with an accomplice. He said in addition to the six deaths, 13 people were wounded in the melee. Dupnik said the rampage ended only after two people tackled the gunman.

.Investigators said they were looking for an accomplice, believed to be in his 50s, who may have assisted in the attack.

A 9mm Glock handgun that had what police described as "an extended clip" with 30 bullets was recovered at the scene, The Washington Post reported. Officials told The Associated Press the gun used in the attack was purchased legally. The Post said it was bought Nov. 30 from the Sportsman's Warehouse in Tucson.

The shooter had another magazine that held about 30 bullets and two that held about 15 bullets each, sources told the Post, and he also had a knife.

'Guarded optimism'
Doctors were optimistic about Giffords surviving as she was responding to commands from doctors despite having a bullet go through her head. "With guarded optimism, I hope she will survive, but this is a very devastating wound," said Dr. Richard Carmona, the former surgeon general who lives in Tucson.

HO / Reuters
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was listed in critical condition Saturday evening. Dupnik pointed to the vitriolic political rhetoric that has consumed the country as he denounced the shooting.

"When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous," the sheriff said. "And unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry."

[Speedo66]

Originally Posted by hardwaregrrl

very much an advocate of motorcycle safety. Regardless of your political beliefs, she is an amazing woman. Here's to hoping she makes it through.

Interestingly enough, an early NY Times article on the event said she was against helmet laws and rode without a helmet.

[bpeckm]

So sad.

And yes, the more I hear about her, and the fact that she could carry her constituency, makes it all the more amazing.

So sad. I heard that the 9 year old girl was born on THE 9/11, she was at the rally 'cause she had just been elected to her school's class government.

So Sad.

[hardwaregrrl]

Whoa, guess we can't believe everything we read. But if I had a choice, I would support education over laws. People could then make their own educated decisions, and helmet laws would probably be unnecessary.

Originally Posted by Speedo66

Interestingly enough, an early NY Times article on the event said she was against helmet laws and rode without a helmet.

[Wirespokes]

Originally Posted by hardwaregrrl

Whoa, guess we can't believe everything we read. But if I had a choice, I would support education over laws. People could then make their own educated decisions, and helmet laws would probably be unnecessary.

True enough! And then people would be smart enough to not empower Big Brother.

[marksbonneville]

Who gives a rats ass about helmet laws or politics on this thread, lets hope she recovers.