Giffords finishes 'Congress on Your Corner' event before resigning (event during which she was shot)

[onehandle]

(CNN) -- Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was in Tucson Monday to finish what she started -- a "Congress on Your Corner" meeting that was interrupted by gunfire, a shooting rampage that left six people dead and Giffords with a gunshot wound to her head just over a year ago.

The meeting came just hours after Giffords, 41, announced on Sunday that she would resign from Congress this week -- but not before finishing the "Congress on Your Corner" event.

Two pictures of Giffords' arrival were sent out to the public, one showing her being greeted by supporters at the event.

Another, more emotional picture was later tweeted out: It showed Giffords hugging Daniel Hernandez, the staffer credited with saving her life.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/politics/giffords-resigning/index.html

Clearly we need better arms if this petite woman can survive and finish the event during which she was gunned down.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Guns can not stop the good ones,

they can only slow them down

[lunatica]

2. I hate guns, but I think most people who own them

are decent and law abiding and are people I would be glad to know and be friends with. The maniac who did the shootings that day has turned out to be very unstable mentally, if not downright mentally ill. I think the solution needs to be during the sales of weapons. I know gun owners hate this, but maybe it's time to think of regulating gun sales. It's done with getting a driver's license and probably means there are less accidents than there would be without any regulation.

I wouldn't be surprised it this didn't get me flamed.

[northoftheborder]

3. like

[obamanut2012]

5. Handgun sales are very regulated

There may be a state or two where they aren't, but every state I know of has at least a minimum of an FBI background check, including at gun shows, to making a request for a permit and waiting a few days, to having a "may be issued" after a nine-month investigation (I am against "may be issued," because you can be turned down if the Sheriff doesn't like the way your vote, or thinks your Dad is a jerk).

Every owner, imo, has an ethical duty to learn how to correctly and safely use their weapon, and to keep it safe from children or anyone else.

Long guns are not as regulated in most states.

[ellisonz]

9. Several other countries...

...require basic psychological evaluation, references, or otherwise evaluate in person before purchase can be made. Our gun laws lag behind most of the Westernized world.

Should be just a matter of time before we're told that nothing could be done on the gun control end of this case...

[obamanut2012]

4. This really touched me for some reason

She was able to finish what she started.

[unkachuck]

6. she may be small in stature, but she's a giant in my book....

....it's a shame this had to happen to such a grand person....a hell of a price to pay in order to participate in American democracy....

[Moostache]

7. That made me cry....and I RARELY cry for anything.

Maybe its because of the similarities in age...
Maybe its because of the horror that was visited upon her and the other victims and the families...
Maybe its because of the other horrific story I read regarding the cat torture and murder...

But whatever, the reason for my tears, the hurt in my heart is far worse. This country has become so utterly lost, so completely adrift from even talking about real solutions to our very real problems that I find myself alternating between abject horror, outright rage and fits of resignation that things not only aren't getting better but that they can't and won't either...

Then something like that video snaps me in the ass like a wet towel and urges me on to fight one more round in the endless struggle, to get back up one more time and try yet again to reach those who do not wish to be reached, to reason with the unreasonable, to meet force with peace and hate with love.

Gabrielle Giffords is everything right about this country, and seeing her come back - even only to a fraction of what she was to this point, makes it seem small and petty and closed-minded to give up when all of my faculties remain intact and all of my abilities are untouched.

Get better Gabby, but know this much - even if you never complete your journey to recovery, you inspire millions to not give up the fight in general...and THAT is priceless in a way that even cheesy credit card ads can't dimmish!

[Tx4obama]

8. MORE: Here is something else Gabby did Monday and two photos from the event

U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (C) tours the Gabrielle Giffords Family Assistance Center with Food Bank CEO Bill Carnegie and Food Bank board member Fran McNeely in Tucson, Arizona January 23, 2012. ....

Photo #1: http://www.daylife.com/photo/00dM4aJay725d?__site=daylife&q=gabby+giffords

Photo #2: http://www.daylife.com/photo/05GT5kS4f16h5?__site=daylife&q=gabby+giffords