Yeah, and you completely left out the multiple other things that make his ideology similar to the Tea Party. Just because he isn't a card carrying member doesn't mean that the rhetoric of the past two years hasn't had an effect on him. It's not patronizing to point out that you are being insulting. Your comment could have gone without being said.

Thank you for this information. I'll spread the word.

His favorite is all over the place, from Communist Manifesto to Mein Kamp. He also enjoy We The Living. Karl Marx, Adolf Hitler and Aynd Rand are his favorite authors all opposite of each others.

Dude, you're misinterpreting me. I'm trying to point out that it's reductive to take one of his interests and turn it into him being a Tea Party member -- and that it's equally reductive to take the Communist Manifesto thing and turn it into him being a liberal. I 100% agree with you that the rhetoric and vitriol of the past several years almost certainly had an effect on a clearly freaking crazy individual.

I'm aware. I'm trying to point out that you can pull out any one silly detail ascribe his motives to it. (And clearly I'm not doing a very good job of it, but we'll blame it on a long, hard day.)

Truce.

Truce. I'm sorry about your congresswoman. I met her several times covering the 2006 freshmen and she's fantastic.

I think AZ-Alpha Xi and AzTheta are really shaken up. Maria actually knew John Roll. I'm in Phoenix, so she isn't my Congresswoman; she represents southern AZ. I have Congressman Quayle:rolleyes:...yep VP Quayle's son! She's just one of the few female reps we have in our state and country, and she seems like a wonderful woman.

Checking in from Tucson, where the city is reeling from this morning's events. This is still a very small town in many regards, despite achieving a population of over a million in the metropolitan area. There are few people in town who've not been touched in some way by the violent, senseless shootings. Federal Court Chief Judge John Roll, a highly respected attorney and justice here, went to law school with my former husband; he and his wife sat near us at U of A basketball games. He was a devout Catholic who was on his way home from mass when he stopped in to say hello to Rep. Giffords. He was, simply, in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am heartbroken for his wife Maureen, their children, and grandchildren. Tucson has lost a truly great citizen today.

Yes, Dee, you are right on the mark in your assessment of the suspect. Sheriff Dupnik has been in law enforcement in Tucson for approximately 50 years (he will be 75 years old quite soon). He was, as was Mayor Walkup and almost every other official who spoke today (other than the highly trained chief of trauma surgery), close to or in tears much of the time while addressing the media. We are listening to people who've known each other and worked together for many, many years. Their hearts are broken as well.

The suspect in custody is, from many accounts, suffering from serious mental issues. To ascribe political motives to such a wildly unstable mind at this time seems counter-productive. Thank you, moe.ron, for pointing out how erratic the suspect's writings are.

It was just another beautiful Saturday morning in the Sonoran desert, people were going grocery shopping at the Safeway, Gabby Giffords was hosting yet another open forum for her constituents...and what else is there to say? The suffering that is happening in so many homes and hearts this evening overwhelms me. I pray for deep peace, acceptance, and compassion.

Hold your loved ones just a little closer in your hearts.

In many ways, this makes me more sad than anything else. Poor little girl. My heart goes out to her parents who must be crushed.

They've just reported that Rep. Giffords has woken up and is speaking. She has recognized her husband. She is very, very fortunate (if you can say that after having been shot in the head in the first place.)

Angela, this is great news. I expect there will be many ups and downs for her (I'm thinking about the brain swelling, etc.). UMC has a great SLP who happens to be an AXO so if Rep. Giffords needs speech therapy, she'll be getting it from the best!

Keeping everyone in prayer. Any news on your AOII sister or any of the other victims?

Everything I've found on line says that Pam Simon is doing well. UMC reports five people in critical condition. There are just so many victims, I don't know how to check for them all.

As for Rep. Giffords, I suspect she has a very long road ahead of her. From all my experience with head injuries (penetrating and blunt) during my two years of General Surgery at LSU, early status like this is great, but swelling can change things in an instant. The whole goal over the next 48-72 hours will be to prevent secondary injury from swelling. It's so hard to know how much damage will ultimately be there. My mentor from Radiology residency did her surgery internship at UMC and says that the neurosurgeons and trauma surgeons are excellent, so I'm sure she is getting top notch care.