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12 Jan 2011 21:43

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U.S.: Obama to Arizona memorial: “Gabby opened her eyes”

  • This may have been one of Obama’s best speeches as president. Certainly at least a little jarring to hear cheering at a memorial for the fallen, but the way he was able to bring context to a terrible event really hit home. The way he spoke about the tragedy brought tears to quite a few sets of eyes, and it’s definitely good to see a major political figure speaking above the never-ending debate that it seems like everyone’s been sucked into over the last few days. It feels like a spark that had been missing for a while just came back. Again, though, it’s sad that this was the event to bring a speech like this out of him. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Jan 2011 20:37

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U.S.: Gabrielle Giffords’ rescuer, Daniel Hernandez: I’m not a hero

  • “We must reject the title of hero.” Daniel Hernandez personally stood at Gabrielle Giffords’ side, at her beck and call, trying his hardest to save the congresswoman’s life. And he just gave an amazing speech, emphasizing that the first responders deserve the title of hero, not him. We are going to see more of this guy. It’s too bad that a horrible, unbelievably sad incident like this brought him into the public spotlight. (Live from CNN) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Jan 2011 10:05

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Politics: Sarah Palin incorrectly uses term “blood libel” to defend herself

  • Especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.
  • Sarah Palin • Defending herself from criticism while using a pretty heavy term incorrectly. From Wikipedia: “Blood libel (also blood accusation) refers to a false accusation or claim that religious minorities, almost always Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays.” She may have a claim to being unfairly treated by some, but it certainly wasn’t “blood libel.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

11 Jan 2011 23:33

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U.S.: Gabrielle Giffords’ surgeon: Things going as well as they could be

  • No one that shouldn’t have died, died.
  • University Medical Center Trauma Unit chief Peter Rhee • Sounding cautiously optimistic about the results his surgery crew has had with the Gabrielle Giffords shooting last week. Rhee sounds like the right guy to be handling a shooting like this unfortunate mess – he has loads of experience with these sorts of incidents. “I was in the Navy for 24 years and I trained for nothing but battlefield casualties,” he said. . “We can take anything they throw at us from a civilian standpoint.” Giffords, by the way, remains in critical condition. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jan 2011 21:00

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U.S.: Jared Lee Loughner’s family makes media statement

  • This is a very difficult time for us. We ask the media to respect our privacy. There are no words that can possibly express how we feel. We wish that there were, so we could make you feel better. We don’t understand why this happened. It may not make any difference, but we wish that we could change the heinous events of Saturday. We care very deeply about the victims and their families. We are so very sorry for their loss.
  • Randy and Amy Loughner • In a statement about their son, Jared Lee Loughner, and his role in Saturday’s shooting. We feel the same way they do. We wish we could give them a hug. They probably need one. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jan 2011 20:33

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U.S.: Gun control advocates in Congress get their legislation ready

  • 30+ number of rounds of ammo gunman Jared Lee Loughner was able to hold in the magazine he used in Saturday’s shooting
  • 10 maximum number of rounds magazines could have if a bill from Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and Sen. Frank Lautenberg passed source
  • » A personal cause: Carolyn McCarthy has first-hand experience with what gun violence can do. She entered politics in 1993 after her husband was killed and her son injured during a shooting on Long Island. Even considering her own personal feelings on the matter, even she’s not sure what can pass. “I have to look at … what can actually pass in Congress and have it signed by the president,” she said Tuesday. “The House and the Senate are pro-gun houses.”
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jan 2011 10:20

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U.S.: Counter-protesters using angel wings against Westboro Baptist Church

  • 42 people plan to use “angel wings” to protect mourners from Westboro Baptist Church protesters
  • 8×10 the size of the enveloping “angel wings” (in feet) – they’ve been around since 1999 source
  • » Protesting a 9-year-old’s funeral? Too far: These giant angel wings, which are designed to protect mourners from crazy folks like Fred Phelps, are being put into action thanks to residents of Tucson and the help of Facebook. “For something like this to happen in Tucson was a really big shock to us all,” said resident Christin Gilmer. “Our nightmare happened when we saw Westboro Baptist Church was going to picket the funerals.”
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

11 Jan 2011 09:48

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U.S.: Jared Lee Loughner’s parents: Recluses, shaken to the core

  • They’re in there now … They’re both in there crying. He’s crying and hanging on to me and she’s not even out of bed.
  • Wayne Smith • Regarding his neighbors, Randy and Amy Loughner, whose son Jared is the main suspect in Saturday’s Gabrielle Giffords shooting. Smith, who is not close to the couple, nevertheless has become a rock for the couple, who has a reputation for reclusiveness, since the shooting. Smith (who didn’t even know the family’s last name until Saturday) was the one who broke the news to them. “I said, ‘Guys, I hate to be the one to tell you, but he shot a bunch of people,'” Smith said. He was there for the Loughners, who had lived in the neighborhood since before Jared, 22, was born, in their time of great sorrow. “We stood right out there and cried for an hour,” he continued. “I’m a softie.” An awful incident all around. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Jan 2011 11:07

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U.S.: How Congress is overreacting to the Gabrielle Giffords shooting

  • legislation Pennsylvania Rep. Bob Brady wants to make it “a federal crime to threaten or incite violence against a member of Congress or a federal official.” Aren’t the laws on the books already good enough?
  • packin’ North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler and Utah’s very own Jason Chaffetz plan to carry concealed weapons from now on. We guess that’s understandable, but still an overreaction. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Jan 2011 10:46

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U.S.: Bryce Tierney: A close friend discusses Jared Lee Loughner

  • Hey man, it’s Jared. Me and you had good times. Peace out. Later.
  • Jared Lee Loughner • Leaving a voicemail for a good friend, Bryce Tierney, in the hours before Loughner shot and killed six people and wounded Gabrielle Giffords. Tierney has a long history with Loughner, and notes that the suspect had some strange quirks, including an obsession with lucid dreams: “I saw his dream journal once,” Tierney said. “That’s the golden piece of evidence. You want to know what goes on in Jared Loughner’s mind, there’s a dream journal that will tell you everything.” Tierney also said that Loughner had an apparent beef with Giffords that goes back years – specifically, he asked a question at one of her events that wasn’t answered to Loughner’s liking. The question? “What is government if words have no meaning?” Giffords’ answer to that pseudo-intellectual drivel may have slowly pushed Loughner over the edge. Really. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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