Mark Matheny
January 24, 2012
In a recent You Tube video, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona has made the announcement that she is stepping down in order to continue her recovery.
On January 8, 2011, U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and eighteen other people were shot during a public meeting held in a supermarket parking lot in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona. Six of those shot died, including Arizona District Court Chief Judge John Roll, one of Rep. Giffords' staffers, and a nine-year-old child.[2][5][6][7][8] Giffords was holding a constituent meeting called "Congress on Your Corner" in the parking lot of a Safeway store when Jared Lee Loughner drew a pistol and shot her in the head, subsequently firing on other people.[5][6] One additional person was injured in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.[3] News reports identified the target of the attack as Giffords, a Democrat representing Arizona's 8th congressional district.[5] She was shot through the head at point-blank range, and her medical condition was initially described as "critical".[5][6]Loughner, a 22-year-old Tucson man who was fixated on Giffords, was arrested at the scene.[4] Federal prosecutors filed five charges against him, including the attempted assassination of a member of Congress and the assassination of a federal judge.[7][9][10] Loughner had a history of drug possession charges and had been suspended by his college for disruptive behavior. Court filings include notes allegedly handwritten by Loughner indicating he planned to assassinate Giffords.[9] The motive for the shooting remains unclear; Loughner did not cooperate with authorities, invoking hisright to remain silent.[6] Loughner was found by a judge to be incompetent to stand trial based on two medical evaluations.[11]Following the shooting, there was an outpouring of grief and condemnations from American and international politicians. Attention focused on the harsh political rhetoric in the United States, which some felt contributed to the shooting, including Sarah Palin's use of crosshairs on a map, targeting the districts of Giffords and others.[12] Gun control advocates pushed for increased restrictions on the sale of firearms and ammunition, specifically high-capacity ammunition magazines.[13] President Barack Obama led a nationally televised memorial service on January 12, and other memorials took place. -WikipediaTwo days after the shooting, I interviewed Ron Stone, co-host of WE"RE HIT!!! TELEVISION concerning the events and the implications.
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Correction: In the interview I mentioned that Carroll Quigley was a Professor of Princeton University. I meant to say Georgetown University. Sorry for the slip up.
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