As a former long term Arizonan of 45 years, I just could not bring myself to watch the entire much publicized interview with Gabrielle Giffords, the Congresswoman from Tucson who was shot ten long months ago by a gunman in a Tucson grocery store parking lot along with six others who perished in the incident.
Why?
It was far too personal, and painful for me personally...
Ms. Giffords was not my representative, but from a state that I hold dear to my heart and in which I grew up in long ago when times were different, and things were much simpler.
She, too, is a native and long term Arizonan from the second largest city in Arizona, in the still wild and wooly west (if you speak to any Easterner, that is, who has never been there for any length of time other than possibly for rehab).
I had seen snippets of the interview, which Diane Sawyer seemed to publicize on every ABC affiliated program and station in the nation the past several weeks.
Gabby is courageous, that much is evident.
And still very much healing...
What I found totally unbelieveable is that this interview comes on the heals of a book that she supposedly "wrote" with her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly.
Ms. Giffords has come a long way, but is still having a great deal of trouble with her speech, although is remarkably improved from where she has been to where she is now. But capable of even corroborating on a book, while continuing her intensive therapy?
I highly doubt it.
Not to mention the fact that most of the entire segment seemed geared also toward extolling the virtues of the medical profession and her somewhat unusual therapy for her traumatic brain injuries at TIRR Medical Center in Houston, Texas (which also just so happens to be the home of her husband, a non-Arizonan).
In Ms. Giffords present condition, though again remarkable, I just wonder how much she understood and consented to this interview, given her still healing brain function, and seemed she was once again being used clearly for a political agenda.
It is, after all, less than a year until the next major election, and the Supreme Court today "advised" the public that it would be hearing the lawsuits which have occurred in light of the passage of ObamaCare, and that dreaded and unconstitutional "mandatory" provision contained within it.
Gaining public support and sympathy prior to the hearing of that case, seems to be also a focus of both the medical profession (who will benefit ultimately) and also the politicians who sold out the American people with the passage of that provision and those founding fathers.
Gabby Giffords did vote for that bill, although is receiving care that will and is far exceeding that which would be given to any "regular" American citizen under some of those "low cost" health care plans marketed through those "co-ops" Mr. Obama envisions.
And in states such as Arizona, most of the "native" citizens have been paying for many of those hospital research grants, and also operating costs through their state property taxes, in addition to the monies they contribute to their state through the income tax, and also at the federal levels.
Here's to Ms. Giffords full and complete recovery, whenever that may be...
But let's hope that Diane Sawyer, and those media types leave her alone until then...and the politicians, lawyers and the Supreme Court start arguing their case for ObamaCare on Constitutional grounds.
On which, there really aren't any...
Showing posts with label Tucson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tucson. Show all posts
Monday, November 14, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sedona and Tucson: Who Decides?
This week other than the Egyptian crisis, there have been two stories which were carried in the mainstream media which also demonstrates how regional news and stories get buried by the big box media in the second or third pages of most American newspapers, even less than a month or year after the events.
One was the pending trial of the Jim Jones of Sedona, James Arthur Ray, who was the leader of a for profit organization of "Spiritual Warriors" and Californian who was conducting a lucrative retreat in Sedona, Arizona in which two women and a man perished after being mentally browbeaten from leaving a plastic tent filled with other devotees a little over a year ago and died of suffocation and heat related illness.
The other, of course, was the accused from the Tucson massacre, Jared Loughner, and his trial in which it was recently also reported that due to the fact that he is charged with both federal and state crimes in the incident in which Mr. Loughner used a 9mm Glock (an automatic police weapon) in order to gun down six people, including a federal judge and U.S. Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, it may take "years" for his case to wind through the criminal justice system.
So much for speedy trials, in which the true evidence may be still fresh.
What is interesting about both these cases is the politics which are occurring with respect to the prosecution of them, and just who has jurisdiction and who will be responsible for determining these two individual's fate.
The Sedona incident occurred in Yavapai County, Arizona in a California style "new age" community, and was allegedly committed by an out state resident in which most of the attendees of this paid event were also not Arizona residents, but from the East Coast, Midwest or California. Apparently, due to the media coverage the defense wishes to move this case out of Yavapai County and into Maricopa County (Phoenix) so that the accused can be assured of a "fair trial," in the hopes that Phoenix or Phoenicians would be more likely to be unbiased with respect to the facts and evidence in the case.
Although would state as a former Arizonan, that the media coverage of what occurred shortly thereafter and the interviews with the victims' families were carried far more in the metro Phoenix papers than those in Yavapai County, and those in Yavapai County most likely would not know personally any of the victims.
Witness costs also would not be impacted, since most of the witnesses also were out state residents from all reports.
Mr. Ray's actions brought shame to the State of Arizona, a state in which such an unregulated commercial enterprise could even occur by one who had no medical training or had any true knowledge of even the spiritual practices behind his highly publicized and profitable venture.
Two women were killed, and one older man. Women have far fewer sweat glands than men and thus do not biologically have the means to cool down their bodies, which is why such practices by the American Indian community were restricted to males as a "rite of male passage" into adulthood, and in which a tribal healer was always present.
Our Constitution does specially provide that in any capital offense, the trial must be held in the jurisdiction in which the crime occurred, if the accused is a U.S. citizen and the victims also U.S. citizens.
Mr. Loughner's crime, of course, was witnessed by a great many, all Arizonans.
Mr. Loughner himself was an Arizonan from Tucson and so were all of his victims, whether governmental or civilian, a life is a life.
And the loss of that life at the hands of another is a matter of state, not the federal government.
Between the border situation, and now Mr. Loughner's crimes, it appears the federal government is perhaps failing to carry out its true functions under our Constitution (such as securing our porous and exposed southern borders), while then prosecuting a case which ocurred within state borders that just may have been the result of the political arena and climate in the community in which it occurred.
After all, it did occur at a political event, and purportedly a politician was one of the targets along with other Arizonans. All of the witnesses are Arizonans from Tucson.
If this crime was in no way political, as so many in the media have stated, but merely committed by a "disturbed" loner, and man-child as has been written and widely publicized, then why is the trial now becoming so very, very political?
Rather than Constitutional?
One was the pending trial of the Jim Jones of Sedona, James Arthur Ray, who was the leader of a for profit organization of "Spiritual Warriors" and Californian who was conducting a lucrative retreat in Sedona, Arizona in which two women and a man perished after being mentally browbeaten from leaving a plastic tent filled with other devotees a little over a year ago and died of suffocation and heat related illness.
The other, of course, was the accused from the Tucson massacre, Jared Loughner, and his trial in which it was recently also reported that due to the fact that he is charged with both federal and state crimes in the incident in which Mr. Loughner used a 9mm Glock (an automatic police weapon) in order to gun down six people, including a federal judge and U.S. Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, it may take "years" for his case to wind through the criminal justice system.
So much for speedy trials, in which the true evidence may be still fresh.
What is interesting about both these cases is the politics which are occurring with respect to the prosecution of them, and just who has jurisdiction and who will be responsible for determining these two individual's fate.
The Sedona incident occurred in Yavapai County, Arizona in a California style "new age" community, and was allegedly committed by an out state resident in which most of the attendees of this paid event were also not Arizona residents, but from the East Coast, Midwest or California. Apparently, due to the media coverage the defense wishes to move this case out of Yavapai County and into Maricopa County (Phoenix) so that the accused can be assured of a "fair trial," in the hopes that Phoenix or Phoenicians would be more likely to be unbiased with respect to the facts and evidence in the case.
Although would state as a former Arizonan, that the media coverage of what occurred shortly thereafter and the interviews with the victims' families were carried far more in the metro Phoenix papers than those in Yavapai County, and those in Yavapai County most likely would not know personally any of the victims.
Witness costs also would not be impacted, since most of the witnesses also were out state residents from all reports.
Mr. Ray's actions brought shame to the State of Arizona, a state in which such an unregulated commercial enterprise could even occur by one who had no medical training or had any true knowledge of even the spiritual practices behind his highly publicized and profitable venture.
Two women were killed, and one older man. Women have far fewer sweat glands than men and thus do not biologically have the means to cool down their bodies, which is why such practices by the American Indian community were restricted to males as a "rite of male passage" into adulthood, and in which a tribal healer was always present.
Our Constitution does specially provide that in any capital offense, the trial must be held in the jurisdiction in which the crime occurred, if the accused is a U.S. citizen and the victims also U.S. citizens.
Mr. Loughner's crime, of course, was witnessed by a great many, all Arizonans.
Mr. Loughner himself was an Arizonan from Tucson and so were all of his victims, whether governmental or civilian, a life is a life.
And the loss of that life at the hands of another is a matter of state, not the federal government.
Between the border situation, and now Mr. Loughner's crimes, it appears the federal government is perhaps failing to carry out its true functions under our Constitution (such as securing our porous and exposed southern borders), while then prosecuting a case which ocurred within state borders that just may have been the result of the political arena and climate in the community in which it occurred.
After all, it did occur at a political event, and purportedly a politician was one of the targets along with other Arizonans. All of the witnesses are Arizonans from Tucson.
If this crime was in no way political, as so many in the media have stated, but merely committed by a "disturbed" loner, and man-child as has been written and widely publicized, then why is the trial now becoming so very, very political?
Rather than Constitutional?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
MYOB Mayor Bloomberg: Arizona Isn't New York, Thank Goodness
It appears the greenhorns and Eastern dandies are hell bent on using the tragedy which recently occurred in Arizona for their own nefarious ends once again.
Case in point: Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sting operation in Arizona at a Tucson gun show wherein he took his New York thugs to Arizona in order to expose the ease with which someone can buy a gun in the Grand Canyon State.
As one who believes there should be at least some laws governing the sales of assault or automatic weapons throughout the country, which did not exist at the time our Constitution was ratified, I found the Mayor's grandstanding rather revolting, as also a former long term Arizonan.
Arizona is, after all, the epitomy of the west, and just so happens to border a foreign country and government.
One in which there has been historically a great deal of cross borders crime and trafficking ever since Arizona entered into the union. And in which a great deal of the war refugees from these increasingly aggressive wars are also now being resettled, unlike greater Manhattan.
Mr. Bloomberg, your pure ignorance of the differences between Arizona and New York are telling. And so are your methods in order to gain political power at the cost of the recent occurrences in Arizona, and of course the rest of the nation also who have not at all stood behind Arizonans calling for a physical solution to our country's greatest threat: securing and fencing our open and exposed desert expanse and southern borders.
A great deal of the crime which occurs in Arizona is actually facilitated by foreigners, whether domestic or international. Or our youth who have been polluted by the political betrayals of many of our political leaders the past half century, clearly a scenario which is increasing.
Not native Arizonans or longer term residents. But by those from New York and Los Angeles who are primarily responsible for the road rage and gang violence, for example.
MYOB, Mayor Bloomberg.
Arizona isn't New York (and thank goodness).
And it is mainly true collectors that attend such venues as the one in which you staged your political propaganda.
The events which occurred in Tucson were not the result of an attack with a Colt .45.
Case in point: Mayor Michael Bloomberg's sting operation in Arizona at a Tucson gun show wherein he took his New York thugs to Arizona in order to expose the ease with which someone can buy a gun in the Grand Canyon State.
As one who believes there should be at least some laws governing the sales of assault or automatic weapons throughout the country, which did not exist at the time our Constitution was ratified, I found the Mayor's grandstanding rather revolting, as also a former long term Arizonan.
Arizona is, after all, the epitomy of the west, and just so happens to border a foreign country and government.
One in which there has been historically a great deal of cross borders crime and trafficking ever since Arizona entered into the union. And in which a great deal of the war refugees from these increasingly aggressive wars are also now being resettled, unlike greater Manhattan.
Mr. Bloomberg, your pure ignorance of the differences between Arizona and New York are telling. And so are your methods in order to gain political power at the cost of the recent occurrences in Arizona, and of course the rest of the nation also who have not at all stood behind Arizonans calling for a physical solution to our country's greatest threat: securing and fencing our open and exposed desert expanse and southern borders.
A great deal of the crime which occurs in Arizona is actually facilitated by foreigners, whether domestic or international. Or our youth who have been polluted by the political betrayals of many of our political leaders the past half century, clearly a scenario which is increasing.
Not native Arizonans or longer term residents. But by those from New York and Los Angeles who are primarily responsible for the road rage and gang violence, for example.
MYOB, Mayor Bloomberg.
Arizona isn't New York (and thank goodness).
And it is mainly true collectors that attend such venues as the one in which you staged your political propaganda.
The events which occurred in Tucson were not the result of an attack with a Colt .45.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
