Yesterday I wrote about one of the victims of the Tucson shooting—Judge John Roll. Others were killed, but Roll I had seen in person and knew something about. As I read about the other victims—the 9-year old girl and the senior citizens there to meet their representative—their individual stories move me, too. After reflecting on yesterday’s evil deed, Senator McCain’s words don’t seem too strong:
by a wicked person who has no sense of justice or compassion….Whoever did this, whatever their reason, they are a disgrace to Arizona, this country and the human race.
But the evil of yesterday’s act doesn’t consist in the total loss of all the individual lives. My friend characterized the shooter’s action as
shooting someone talking to the people and shooting people talking to their representative.
That action caused her to feel an emotion I think is entirely appropriate: “really pissed off.” We should be angry at injustice.
Is unjust to take someone’s life from them: murder is wrong. It is deeply unjust to strike at a public official and at the people assembled to speak with that official: violence that attacks what our political order depends on—representative government—makes yesterday’s murders even more evil.
Boehner had the right idea when he said “an attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve.” But because of the type of government we have—a representative democracy—”service” can be taken widely. Congresswoman Giffords was clearly serving her country yesterday morning by listening to her constituents. She is an official representative; that’s what she’s supposed to do. But those constituents who were there to see her were also serving—they were serving the political good of our country, which depends on active political involvement at the local level.
Because of that political reality, yesterday’s attack was in a very a real sense an “attack on all.” Will I be safe next time I go to a political meeting? Can I visit my Congressman safely? Will a madman’s bullet end me if I happen to exercise my civility?
The stories I’ve read say that the shooter, in attempting to flee, was “tackled by a bystander.” I take heart from that. Someone there, present in the crowd, had the virtues of courage and plain common sense to grab the guy and to keep him from getting away. Justice can be done because of that bystander’s courage.
Courage will be necessary going forward. Holding political office is dangerous. Meeting with your political representative isn’t entirely safe. But these are good things and worth the danger. Courage is appropriate and praiseworthy in their service.
McCain is correct: the person who could kill a public representative and the people meeting with that official is a universal “disgrace.” But the fact that citizens—in both official and unofficial capacities—were there at Safeway to participate in American government is a sign of health and vitality. The fact that one of them had the pluck to tackle the malefactor is a further sign that the people of this country have strong hearts.
The twin facts of their civility and their courage reminds me that local politics is worth the risk.
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