Rep. Giffords Shot in Arizona

Today’s shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, AZ is appalling and horrific. Yes, the act itself can be described with these words but it is the response to her shooting that I speak. The “fringe lefters” are calling for retaliation on the Tea Party, Sarah Pallin, and whoever else they can name in the “fringe righters”. It is long past time for those of us in the 90% middle to stand up and intimidate the fringe into silence.

I believe most of us know that solutions to the many problems that this country must face in the next decade will be found in dialogue between the great minds found in liberal and conservative groups. It is in combining great gifted scientific minds with people of faith that we can find answers to ethical questions that seem more complex than either group, in and of themselves, can decipher. It is not convincing each other of the “rightness” so that a conversion to one homogenous, lukewarm identity occurs. Instead, it is in the mixing of two (see the Blue and Red?), not making Purple but alternatively making a mosaic of Blue and Red that gives the best of both. Of course, for this to happen, each must give up the idea of “I Win!” and embrace the unusual option that “We Win!”

May God comfort her family.