No one ever saw it coming. Yeah, right. Not one politician, not one political operative, not one campaign fundraising operative, not one talk show pundit. Not one person slinging insults, inviting insults, or whipping up a crowd with profanities while discussing the state of affairs in our country. No one ever saw it coming – correction: the ones who ‘didn’t see it coming’ never thought that this carnage would land at their feet. Again. Never thought after other rampages and attacks by disaffected and disturbed citizens on our own soil that a new horror would play out that could be traced back, literally or figuratively, to their own actions. After September 11, when Flight 77 hit the Pentagon and Flight 93 was taken down by heroic passengers before it could hit the Capitol, both frightened houses of Congress pledged to work together for the good of the country – at least until the 2004 election cycle. Now in the wake of the horror of the attacks on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and nineteen others, after two years of challenging the President’s citizenship by various groups of citizenry, after a congressional year of insults to President Obama and other elected officials, after a campaign cycle of the nastiest behavior from candidates and incumbents, after gleeful boasts of plans to undo the prior session’s legislative accomplishments, now Congress wants to have a dialogue across the aisles about rhetoric?? Scared for their own skins again. Give us a break.
There is thought in Congress about increased awareness and security. Awareness of the words that are unleashed is what has to be patrolled and monitored full-time, and that is the job of the ones uttering the words. Law enforcement can’t do that job for the ones making the speeches and remarks. Increased security vigilance won’t mean anything unless the hyping and sensationalizing of politics by the media ceases. “Next at 11, stunning new details about…” “We hope you’ll join us for the latest exclusive report about”. Consistent high-quality reporting of the news has gone the way of 8-track and cassette tapes, replaced by hype and hysteria. Journalism standards should not be equated with tabloid news or 'reality television', and unfortunately that is what happens when any and everybody is given a platform for which they are not trained or qualified. Perhaps two months ago a young girl, maybe eleven years old at the most, was asked by a television news crew why she wanted to attend a book signing in Arizona (of all places), and she replied that she wanted to see the author ‘because she’s a great American’. Dear precious child, great Americans don’t quit on their constituents because the rug covering missteps and/or misdeeds has been lifted up. Great Americans don’t blame others for their ignorance on matters of foreign policy and for their lack of a reading list. Great Americans don’t distort family values. Great Americans don’t use family members to promote themselves while hiding in the background or in the audience. Great Americans don’t suggest violence in politics with ‘misunderstood’ graphics and catch-phrases extolling firepower. Great Americans don’t.
Today and forever, six families suffer the unimaginable consequences of selfish individuals who place no value on human lives except their own or those close to them, and who have fanned the flames of discord into a human pyre. Media outlets everywhere are searching for that golden kernel of information that will let them broadcast the “real” story behind a young man’s rampage. Will it bring back a judge that was regarded as fair, a congressional aide liked for his willingness to help the constituency that his boss served, a beloved church custodian, a homemaker who enjoyed volunteering at her church, a woman married to her high school sweetheart, and a little girl who was her brother’s best friend, had just won her first elected office and was interested in government? No, no, no, no, no and no. Will thirteen others including the congresswoman who serves her district regardless of her constituents’ affiliation be any less wounded or traumatized? No.
Responsibility for this tragedy should not be aimed solely at the talking heads and mouths that have the eyes and ears of the nation tuned into their every word. What about agencies and authorities that had been alerted that a young man might have mental health issues? What about those who saw signs that something wasn’t right? Did no one in Tucson have a clue until a beautiful sunny Saturday morning when time stopped for six innocent people? Does no one remember the other “national tragedies” that gripped us in the past two decades – Oklahoma City, Columbine, Virginia Tech, among others - and the warning signs that were talked about after the fact? No more not speaking out in the community when there is an possibility or indication of mental illness. No more not wanting to get involved until it’s too late.
Going forward we have to do better, as a nation and as individuals. Stand up for right in our neighborhoods, schools, houses of worship. Talk and discuss issues, ideas and policies instead of hurling curses and accusations around without a backward glance. Talk and disagree if we must in civil decibels, with respect for the other side and for ourselves. Talk and agree to work together on compromise or new solutions if compromise is not going to happen. Stand up for ideals and beliefs without trashing the opponent or the other side. Stand up for the rights of all Americans regardless of income or status to be a part of the dialogue and to be represented by the ones who are elected to serve. Stand up for democracy for all, not just for the deepest pockets. No more pretending not to see or attempting to justify away responsibility for the trainwreck that has come to be known as politics as usual. Conduct yourselves as befits the office and the position that you hold in Congress, without profanity or disrespect on the floor of your employers, the people of the United States.
The Washington Post makes a good point: “…Politicians in both parties have said this is not a time for one side to try to score political points against the other over who bears responsibility for these conditions, though there is plenty of finger-pointing in the blogosphere and on Twitter. The reality is everyone bears some responsibility, from politicians to political operatives to the media to ordinary Americans….”
America, just. do. better.
The Window Seat by Karen Caffee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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