On the Tragedy Which Occurred at Congresswoman Gabbie Gifford's Public Event

I was once told a story about Joseph Kennedy, Jr., son of the late Senator Bobby Kennedy, who was assassinated the evening he won the California presidential primary in 1968. As recounted to me back in the early 1970’s, Joseph was attending a Boston-area class on community organizing, facilitated by a prominent grassroots organizer.

With great enthusiasm, the instructor explained very popular "progressive" tactical steps for arousing anger in communities that were truly in need of organizing. This teacher described the process of choosing “targets,” that is, individuals who had decision-making power for this or that issue, and went on to explain the process of channeling the community’s anger into focused campaigns for positive change.

My friend told me that the younger Kennedy brought the classroom lecture to an abrupt halt with his serious, intense stare into the instructor’s eyes.

When asked if Mr. Kennedy cared to comment on the content of the lecture, the fledgling fatherless public figure was reported to have said: “Human beings must never be targets.”

To the best of my ability, I’ve carried that lesson with me into all of my community organizing endeavors, and I have tried with all my heart to abide by this lesson since this story was told to me by my friend.

But, times have changed drastically since those days when passionate idealists knocked on doors for clean water, affordable housing, and a fair and equitable health care system.

Political discourse in this nation has been rabid, destructive, and non-productive for a very long time. All in the dubious name of “free speech,” we have allowed our public commentators and aspirants to public office to demonize those who oppose them, and we have allowed individuals and groups to whip up an angry frenzy in communities plagued with mortgage foreclosures, job loss, pension loss, and general feelings of insecurity about our future as a free nation.

Politicians and community organizers continue to “target” those with whom they philosophically disagree in dangerous ways – and their rhetoric has become unreasonably aggressive and violently suggestive.

And now, We, the People, have again paid a terrible price for our passivity in the face of this aggressive rhetoric.

Today, we mourn the loss of a nine year old girl, Christina Taylor Green, a young girl born on September 11, 2001, who believed it her destiny to work democratically to improve the life of others.

We mourn the loss of Judge John M. Roll, a man who stopped by Congresswoman Gabby Giffords public event to extend the hand of friendship and hospitality.

We mourn the loss of all the citizens who were killed because they chose to attend Congresswoman Gabbie Gifford’s public event, during which she promised civil, polite discussion of the needs of her 8th Congressional District in Tucson Arizona.

We mourn the loss of those who were injured, who are fighting for their lives, including Congresswoman Gabbie Giffords -- who passionately, but collegially and respectfully represented the interests of her constituents.

We pray for the full and speedy recovery of all those who survived this senseless violence.

Most of all, we pray for our nation, that we may find our way back to the true spirit of democracy, where men and women, and children engage in political discourse with dignity, civility, passion, and full respect for every human being’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.