Was out of town and away from the news when the madness occurred

[Ken Burch]

I'm not planning to start any other threads today. The tone I sometimes take in the threads on Monday is not appropriate to the current situation.

The violent assault on Congresswoman Giffords and the deaths of the others at the town hall event she was hosting are an assault on us all. It's trite to talk about "fascism" at a moment like this, but something dark, sad and terrifying is afoot in the land.

It's a time to pray(if you do that)to reflect, and to plan the campaign to remake this country into a place where people won't be shot just for being a Congresswoman...or just for being a nine-year old girl listening to that Congresswoman...or just for being an elderly man trying to protect his wife from the bullets being fired by the man who, apparently, wanted everyone at that town-hall meeting to die.

I don't the answers. Just wanted to check in and say I'm bonded with everyone else here on DU and here in this country who are wondering what kind of place we now live in.

These lines from the song "IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME" by Holly Near seem most appropriate at this point, and I dedicate them to the victims in Tuscon:


IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME, BUT INSTEAD IT WAS YOU
AND IT MAY BE US DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHER
BEFORE WE ARE THROUGH
BUT IF YOU CAN WORK FOR FREEDOM
FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM
IF YOU CAN WORK (LIVE, DIE, SING) FOR FREEDOM I CAN TOO


(And in the words of the ancient Latin Chant):

DONA NOVIS, PACEM, PACEM

DONA NOVIS, PACEM.

(GIVE US PEACE).

[hlthe2b]

1. As you say, "Grant us Peace" (for those who don't know latin)

Absolutely

[Ken Burch]

2. Thanks.

Peace be with us all today.

[emilyg]

3. kick