Opinion: Civility starts with Congress
By Jackie Speier
The news that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had been shot in the head hit me in the stomach – complete nausea. My grief over a fallen colleague and those who died in the gun assault brought back the sensations of a jungle runway 32 years ago, when I lay in a pool of my own blood, covered with ants, expecting to die.
I pray that Giffords will be able to read this soon or that I might have the chance to read it to her. I have much to say.
As a legal aide to Rep. Leo Ryan, D-San Mateo, in 1978, I held idealistic thoughts of what could be done in the name of justice. In November 1978, I joined Ryan on a fact-finding mission to Jonestown, Guyana. We were responding to rumors – ultimately determined to be fact – that relatives of the congressman’s Bay Area constituents were being held against their will by a cult leader, the Rev. Jim Jones. Many members of Jones’ Peoples Temple wanted to return with us to the United States. The outcome has been well documented in news accounts, books and movies. We were about to board our plane back home when a truck full of Jones’ gunmen burst through the thick jungle cover. Shots rang out. I hid behind the wheel of the plane and played dead. Someone shot me five times at point-blank range.
I called the congressman’s name. There was no answer. Later I was told he had been riddled with 45 bullets.
My next life started during those 22 hours on my back on the runway, unable to move and barely able to think of anything other than this was how my dreams were to end at the age of 28.
Jackie Speier represents San Mateo County and portions of San Francisco in the House of Representatives.
Thank you for posting this. Jackie has been a loyal, sincere, and bright representative whom I have met a several occasions. We went to the same high school. I especially relate to these words:
“Last year at town halls held on the president’s health care proposal, members of Congress were booed, and many, including myself, received threats triggered by false information stoked by radio talk shows that focused on the “death panels” that were sure to be in place when the bill became law. Both Democrats and Republicans realize that the more outrageous a statement, the more likely it will be featured on TV, and the more that happens, the greater the likelihood that an outraged public will make campaign donations to the purveyors of political venom.”
Yes, we do believe in FREE SPEECH, but honestly, shouldn’t people be held accountable for speaking the truth? This is a dilema for all of us. Let’s, each one of us, be accountable for learning the truth, and not “buying into” what talk show hosts say just because it fits into our own personal anger. Seek the truth! Seek personal understanding of issues before deciding what side of issues we are on. Be a responsible citizen.
Granny, I agree that people should be held accountable for speaking the truth. The attached newspaper article from the ultra-liberal New York Times discusses the “End-of-Life” panels that were not supposed to have existed.
So, the truth is these talk shows were actually correctly predicting the future…they were “stoking” the cry for openness & transparency that was sorely lacking in debating the health care law.
Granny, I hope you someday choose to stop believing everything politicians (or old high school buddies) tell you and listen to your own words of advice “Seek the Truth”.
Regarding the truth, I will give Democrats one point – they did not craft the health care law to include “End-of-Life” panels. However, they refused to PREVENT Medicare beauracrats from implementing them once the law was passed, thus were complicit in their creation.
One final prediction – because Obama & the (then) Democratic Houses of Congress failed to work with the other side to craft a bi-partisan health care law…the bill as written will never be implemented, and possibly repealed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/health/policy/05health.html?_r=1
See how much sense The Rally To Restore Sanity made?
Fear runs deep in America these days, ever since GW. Prompting bizarre reactions. Fear is a great way to control people’s thoughts and actions without them even knowing it. And to keep them from asking question and voicing dissent.
Remember when criticizing the war in Iraq was unamerican? Well, it never was.
End the fear. It’s not that bad.
Please do not skew or misconstrue what I had to say – which you just did. When referring to Jackie, it was from my experience working with her for support when developing an Adult Day Health Center and she was a San Mateo County Supervisor and later in the state legislator. Secondly, she was not a high school buddy. She is 15-20 years younger than I, and we went to the same school and were taught service to others as a lifetime practice. You are exactly the kind of person that I find so frustrating because you miss the point of what I was saying AND I do not believe everything politicians tell me. I said, “Shouldn’t everyone be accountable for speaking the truth?” My point was the “booing” and lack of respect right in the legislature. It’s bad manners. Period! Don’t you dare mix up my words and intent.