It's the beginning of a new year; and only a week into it we have had mayhem and natural phenomenons. The week started with a news report about hundreds of black birds falling from the sky in Arkansas. That would have been curious enough, and it was explained away as being caused from the New Years Eve fireworks. I might have bought into that except that hundreds more black birds fell from the sky the next two days in Louisianna and Kentucky. Again all explained away. This past Thursday or Friday I heard about hundreds of Doves falling from the sky in Italy. All explained away. Now I have to tell you that in the fifty-seven years that I have been alive, I just don't remember that ever happening. Yet the news commentator the other night reassured everyone that this happens from time to time. They said it was a natural phenomenon....whatever!
Last Year about this time we had that horrible earthquake in Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers are still with those poor people. All the money and charitable efforts given to them in this past year and they are little better off than they were a year ago. That seemed to be the next good question to ask; "What happened to all the aid?"; that is until this weekend.
Saturday morning started out for me like any other Saturday, I did laundry and went to do some shopping. I came home and turned on the T.V. just as a Special Report came on. I could not believe my ears, another shooting rampage. Congresswoman Gabby Gifford shot in the head while trying to meet with her constituents. I have been praying for all the victims and their families. The whole event is just tragic. Why people feel the need to latch out in violence! I believe, unlike some, that this is just a senseless isolated act by a deranged individual. I don't believe it's the fault of the Tea Party movement or any other politically motivated groups. However I do agree that we are being too careless in our eagerness to bring sanity back to our government. Shooting out Congressional office windows, yelling and screaming at town hall gatherings and showing weapons, and mailing letters that self destruct in the post office are not good social behavior. Times are hard and situations are bad for an awful lot of people...still there is NEVER an excuse to murder anyone because they disagree with us. I think Bob Shiefer of CBS News said it well this morning, I am paraphrasing, 'what happened in Tucson is not only done to all who serve, but to all of us who want to speak freely without fear of violence or death because of what we speak.' This is true, that is why it is so important for all of us to be civil when we have a chance to speak with our representatives, and debate the issues without being offensive or threatening. Congresswoman Gifford said a few months ago, "we all must remember that our words have consequences."
