In the wake of the shooting that took the lives of six and injured 14, peace-advocacy groups voiced their responses to Saturday’s shooting.
Tucson’s chapter of Code Pink: Women for Peace set up the event. A small group of people gathered in front of University Medical Center at noon to listen.
Speakers stressed non-violent alternatives as the way to solve problems, both in our community and at the global level.
Most speakers at the event stressed that the violence problem was not unique to Tucson. “”It is a symptom and sign of what is deeply disturbing America, everywhere,”” said Dr. Barbara H. Warren, the coordinator for Physicians for Social Responsibility in Arizona, a national and international group that works to prevent the spread or growth of nuclear weapons. “”We need to put down the guns.””
Mary DeCamp, the co-facilitator of Code Pink, said, “”The young man who is accused of pulling the trigger and causing death, pain, fear and terror is symptomatic of mounting societal problems.””
DeCamp said finding him guilty will do nothing to change pressures put on young people or the Arizona laws, which she feels do not provide adequate mental health services and don’t “”fix Arizonans’ easy access to lethal weapons that will never be used for hunting food.””
Dina Afek, of the Tikkun community and Jewish Voice for Peace, said there are alternatives to violence, and we need to look for them to avoid further tragedies.
“”Let’s practice listening and really hearing one another,”” Afek said.
Libby Hubbard, who aided DeCamp in handing out flyers, calls herself an “”extremist.””
Hubbard shook her fists in the air and yelled at the absent media.
“”Media! Where are you?”” Hubbard yelled as she paced behind the podium. “”We have to focus on how to heal the planet!”” Hubbard shouted to the crowd.
A woman in the crowd who was standing in front of the arrangement of balloons, stuffed animals, flowers, notes, and other adornments that had been laid out for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords disagreed.
“”They’re fighting for their lives right now. This is about the victims that are inside,”” the woman said, pointing to UMC. “”It is about Gabby. It’s not a focus on anyone else but her.”” Hubbard responded that it was a larger, global problem, as she held up a homemade banner with the word “”loveolution”” written in red.
