EDIT NOTE: I initially deleted this diary out of sensitivity to the victims of Saturday's Tucson shooting, including my Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, who is now courageously fighting for her life at UMC. I undeleted because this has been twisted and distorted by not only the right wing blogs, but also the mainstream media as an example of a vitriolic statement from the progressives that is somehow the equal of what Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, Glenn Beck, Limbaugh, Boortz, and other far-right stokers of vitriol, anger, and hatred have said and written. Which I believe can and does influence people, especially the already unstable to carry out acts of violence...perhaps even the exact shooting in Tucson on Saturday.
I am from the Tucson area and live in Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords' district. I worked like a dog for her elections when she was in the Arizona House, surrounded by rightwing nutcases. When Arizona re-districted in 2002, a seat opened up and she was right smack in the middle of it. So was I because I live in Oro Valley, Arizona, which is at the heart of that - then - new CD. I was one of several people to talk her into running and pledging complete loyalty and pledging to raise as much money as possible for her.
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