A Senstive Subject

DISCLAIMER:

There will be no quips today.  No puns or funny comments.  This blog entry will feature nothing personal about me, save my opinion.  As always, read if you want.  If not, come back soon when I return to my normal blog self.

END DISCLAIMER.


Saturday, January 8, 2011.  The city of Tucson, Arizona is a great town.  Filled with many people from many cultures and many beliefs.  It is also the location of a terrible tragedy.  There's no need to go into the details, nor is there need to add a link.  If you were on the Internet at any time in the past day, then you know all about it.

You know all about a madman that walked up to a U.S. Congresswoman and shot her in the head - luckily, the bullet actually went through.  I say lucky because when it comes to brain surgery, it's actually better to repair damage then have to unlodge a bullet and then repair any damage. 

You know all about the madman that took anywhere between 15-20 shots.  According to some reports, the weapon was a Glock 9mm handgun, which, when equipped properly, can actually hold up to 33 bullets.  But, according to other reports, the shooter was tackled and restrained in between reloading, so more than likely, he didn't have that many.

A Federal Judge from Arizona.  A retiree.  A woman that had been married for fifty years.  A nine year old girl.

I wasn't sure that I wanted to write anything about this tragedy because I'm a very emotional person.  But after reading a headline - one that I didn't even expect to see - I felt the need.  Before I continue, though, let me tell you something else.

9/11 still troubles me.  Not for the political reasons and not for the fight against terrorism.  What bothers me is the loss.  And yesterday was like that for me.  Too much innocence lost.  Yes, some people can argue that a member of Congress - a woman that had had threats against her life in the past - and other politicians may not be so innocent, but a nine year old girl?  Let me tell you who she is and then I'll tell you why she is so special.

This little girl was the granddaughter of Dallas Green.  I know anyone reading this blog will go, "Who's Dallas Green?"  He was the manageer of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 when they won the World Series.  He was a manager of the New York Mets and he is currently an excutive with the Phillies organization.  The girl's father is a scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.  This girl practically had baseball in her blood.  A passion that, sadly, will never be fulfilled.

And now to tell you why she was speical.  This nine year old girl  was born on 9/11/2001 - the most tragic day in America since Pearl Harbor.  On a day that saw great sadness, this wonderful child was born.  She was born in a time when America was on the hunt for terrorists, both at home and abroad.  And yesterday, she died.  Not because of terrorists.  Not because a suicide bomber entered a shopping mall and ignited a bomb.  She died because she wanted to learn about politics.  She had been elected to her student council at school and this was a good learning experience.  She always knew about terrorism and how America was slowly working to remove it from the world.  And now, she'll only get to see the outcome from Heaven

I'm not going to get political.  Mostly, because I'm not good at it.  It's a topic that I choose to tolerate, not ignore.  I know that people have strong opinions about politics, but I am not one of them.  If you want to argue Immigration or Health Care, go find someone else.  This is about people.  Politicians, judges and children.  They're all just people.  People that could have talked out their differences.  People that were just living their lives.  People wanting to learn.  And now it's all gone.  Just like Pearl Harbor and 9/11.


Until Next Time.