Walz statement on Shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords (and my own thoughts)

That Representative Gabrielle Giffords and many others were shot at a meet-the-congresswoman event at a grocery store made today's tragedy in Arizona a little closer to home.

I'd been to a couple of Congressman Walz's famous stops at Hyvees and other grocery stores to observe and report on the Mankato Democrat and his staff listen to constituents' concerns. Over the years, I've got on a friendly footing with the staff, and knowing that those shot in Arizona are probably much like my friends here--kind, caring people who work hard for the people the boss serves--was a bit of a gut punch.

And I know other staffers for representatives and our two senators--so the notion that one of them might be murdered at work is chilling indeed. My sympathies go out to the victims and their families; it must be particularly brutal for the family of the dead child to go through such heartbreak.

We should be able to meet with elected officials without fear. And when people are angry--as Americans sometimes are--a soft answer should be able to turn away wrath, as Minnesota witnessed in the confrontation between Governor Dayton and a group of Tea Party protesters earlier this week.

Reactions to today's shooting are coming in from around the state and nation. Congressman Walz sent out the following statement:

Gwen and I are devastated. This is an unthinkable tragedy for our nation. Attacks on public servants and their staff have no place in America. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gabrielle, her husband Mark, Gabrielle’s staff and their families, and the families of everyone who was hurt or killed today.

Photo: Congressman Walz talking to Southern Minnesotans in a local grocery store, 2008.

Comments

[Phoenix Woman]

Thanks for this, Sally. It's just heartbreaking to see how the hate-fueled climate in this nation, fueled by Lonesome Rhodes wannabees like Glenn Beck, has led to events like this, or like Oklahoma City in 1995.

Our elected representatives should be able to face the public without fear, yet there are people who are profiting from creating a climate of fear that causes unstable persons to commit such awful acts.

[janine]

A terrible tragedy. I also thought of Walz's Hyvee stops.

The Republicans have been riding to Victory on the "Four Horsemen of Calumny—Fear, Ignorance, Bigotry, and Smear" for quite awhile now and then they act shocked and surprised when an unbalanced person takes them seriously.

[janine]

I also believe that bluestem had a post on th Farmfest talk by Walz two summers ago. I thought the women whom disrupted the talk then was possibly unstable as well.