Posted Jan 14, 2011, 2:05 pm
The Daily Show's John Stewart gave a biting critique of the criticism of Tucson's memorial service for the victims of mass Saturday's shooting.
The event, billed as "Together We Thrive: Tucson and America," was held Wednesday night at McKale Center, where President Barack Obama spoke to an overflow crowd that numbered in the tens of thousands.
Cable news commentators, many from Fox News, have laid into the event's organizers and attendees alike, for among other things, printing t-shirts for the event, for cheering, for the seating arrangements, and for the traditional Pascua Yaqui tribal blessing that opened the memorial.
"Politics, point scoring and pettiness," Stewart called it Thursday, exactly what Obama had warned against in his speech.
A Fox News talking head wasn't satisfied with the seating arrangements, saying that the heroes who stopped the shooting rampage weren't given prominent enough seats.
"Yeah, yeah, that would've made it much better. That would've made it a better show. But you know, it's a memorial service, not the Emmys," said Stewart.
The Native American blessing offered by Carlos Gonzales, a professor at the University of Arizona, was mocked by Fox commentators.
One found the blessing "very strange." Brit Hume said "it was most peculiar."
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Hume blamed the "tone and atmosphere" of the memorial - which he found lacking - on the blessing:
"The whole thing is attributable in part to the remarkable opening blessing that was delivered by, what was his name, Carlos Gonzales, who by the time it was over with, he had blessed the reptiles of the sea, and he had prayed to the four doors of the building, and while I'm sure that all has an honorable tradition with his people, with it was most peculiar," he said.
"You can either have a pep rally or a memorial service, you can't have both at the same time," Hume said.
"You ever been to an Irish wake?" Stewart asked. "I've never been sadder and laughed harder in my life."
My take
Unlike the commenting class on Fox (and MSNBC and CNN and all the rest), I was at McKale Center on Wednesday night.
I'm just a humble reporter, not given to editorializing. But this is my town, my friends, my Tucson that was shattered. I've spent the last week working the clock around, hitting the bricks and the keyboard, reporting. I haven't had many moments to reflect, but here, for what they're worth, here are my thoughts.
What I witnessed Wednesday was a community coming together in grief, in collective relief, and in recognition of the heroism of those who saved lives that terrible morning just seven days ago.
People spontaneously cheered long before the official start of the program. Sheriff's deputies and police officers, firefighters and EMTs all received ovations as they came into the building, individually.
The families of the victims were cheered. The survivors who were able to attend were recognized by the crowd. Elected officials were cheered as they found their seats.
The brave souls who ended the shooting rampage were cheered.
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When the most visible faces of the past week, the doctors treating Gabby Giffords, casually walked through the crowd like any other attendee, the loudest cheer of the night was heard.
There was nothing staged or choreographed about the crowd's reaction. To me, as I snapped photos of those hugging and laughing and crying with grief and relief, it felt like we were a family. It was as genuine and heart-felt as the memorials of candles and flowers that have sprung up at UMC and Gabbys' office and elsewhere.
Ever been to a Tucson wake? Now you have.
I don't expect anyone from the well-heeled commentariat to get how we do things here our dusty town, and I don't particularly care that they don't.
But it is insulting to the memory of those lost, to the needs of those wounded physically and psychically, to the calm professionalism of those who responded, and to the community that has rallied with symbols of hope and actions of support, to criticize a moment when we came together.
President Obama's speech rose to the occasion, both somber and rousing. The thoughts offered by the other officials who spoke were reflective and appropriate.
Daniel Hernandez, one of the ordinary people who performed extraordinary deeds last Saturday, was humbled and stunned by the crowd's reaction.
Dr. Gonzales' invocation was a moving representation of Tucson's embrace of our many cultures. Perhaps it wasn't Brit Hume's cup of tea, but who's going to listen to someone who so openly and ignorantly mocks the faith of another?
Much of the criticism of "Together We Thrive" focused on the crowd. Too noisy, too "raucous." "Whoops" when Obama announced "Gabby opened her eyes for the first time" were roundly condemned.
Condemned by those who weren't there, that is.
The talking heads on TV can belittle our cactus-riddled cowtown. What they say isn't important; that's why they have to endlessly repeat themselves to get anyone to pay attention.
Standing in that room, having honored those who died and those who responded whether it was their job or not, I know hearing that Gabby had opened her eyes lit up a community that had been stunned by Saturday's shooting.
As Dr. Shelton said, this is a metropolitan area of 1 million that is really a "small college town." "It is, in the truest and best sense of the word, a community, where people know each other and care about each other," he said Wednesday night.
I can't imagine there is a single person in Tucson who has gone untouched by this tragedy. Only a last-minute decision kept me from being there myself.
It has affected our friends and colleagues, for some our family members, and for all, those who we consider family.
So, you know what, Brit Hume and all the rest? The satellite trucks are pulling out of town, the last medical briefing at UMC has been given, the media from around the world are moving on to the next big story.
We're the ones who remain. We remain to mourn, to help each other pick up the pieces, to cry and yes, to laugh.
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Latest comments on this storyRead all 11 »
(This originated as a post for my Facebook friends):
I live in Tucson, so I hope I can give some insight. The memorial service was held in a basketball arena of 14,000 people with 55,000 overflow in the football stadium next door watching on jumbo-trons. Crowds of that size by their nature, can only react with noise. There was no way for so many people in such a large space to hug and whisper in the family’s ears. That will come with their intimate family and friends at the funerals. But the ONLY way a crowd of that size could show appreciation for the deceased, the survivors, the families, and the heroes in this unfolding story was audibly, and the only way so many diverse people could say Amen together to the prayers and bible readings was to applaud/cheer.
The food vendors were absolutely necessary. People got in line early in the morning to get into the arena which was full by 1pm, then they had to sit there for another 5 hours before it even started. I’m sure it was grueling, and the logistics and compassion of the thing required they be able to eat. The t-shirts were respectful subdued colors, and showed appreciation back to the crowed that they had gone to such trouble, waiting for so many hours, to be there.
Anyway, it was not a pep rally, and Tucson was trying to welcome the whole country in to our mourning. Yes, I heard a complaint from a friend that the 5-generation feathered American of Mexican/Yaqui ancestry told us too much about himself, but he also told us it was part of the tradition of that particular blessing to introduce himself. He is a bit of the face of Tucson as the whole country joined us. I don’t begrudge him. He offered a blessing for me. Another Tucson friend particularly appreciated the blessing, because it was similar to one he learned from his old country Eastern European parents, and he was amazed such diverse cultures could come up with something so similar. Personally, I loved Hernandez’ & Brewer’s speeches, even though she always has a bit of pit bull in her, and I think Obama’s speech writer was excellent. I’m not a fan of Mr. O , but I thought he rose to the occasion and managed to come off as a compassionate person last night. He had to. He blew it big time with Ft. Hood, and he was determined not to make that mistake again. Personally, because of Ft. Hood, I think that speech was written in polished fill-in-the-blank form a long time ago.
Was Pelosi even there? As far as I could see, she did not get even one second of screen time the whole memorial service, although they addressed her as though she were there. Hmmmmm. I wonder about Napolitano & Holder’s making no speeches at all, giving only scripture readings. Given their checkered history concerning the border in Arizona, I think they were muzzled by the president himself, lest they make themselves “the story” last night.
Anyway, this memorial was actually the smaller story in Tucson this week. We’ve been all rather mentally consumed with the prospect of the vicious Westboro Baptist Church attacking the funerals, making plans for large crowds to turn out with large white sheets to hold in front of them. But due to a combination of quick legislation and radio deals they scored in Phoenix 120 miles away (and out of Tucson’s earshot), they won’t be troubling the funerals. Thank God for our brothers and sisters in Phoenix.
Sorry but the RIGHT NEEDS TO BACK PHX
Having read this, the first thing that comes to mind is:
Right. Farking. On.
I live in Portland, Oregon and watched…with many tears…the beautiful service. I couldn’t believe my eyes and ears as I witnessed the various talking heads yammering on. And on. And on.
Thank you for speaking my mind.