Divisions Persist In Tucson In Wake Of Giffords Shooting

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)
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TUCSON, AZ — Late on Sunday afternoon, the site of the mass shooting in Tucson that left six dead and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in critical condition in a local hospital remains sealed by Sheriff’s deputies. Past the stretched yellow caution tape and the flashing lights of the deputies’ cruisers, folding tables covered with red cloth appear to still be where they were during the Giffords constituent event that ended in a hail of gunfire Saturday morning.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Dem Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Shot In Arizona]

The imagery from the tragedy of Saturday is still that fresh. And the emotional response to the shooting from both sides of the political spectrum remains raw. Tucson local Alex Winant came to the corner of Ina and Oracle Sunday to lay flowers near the spot where Giffords was shot.

Winant, a transplant from California, said he supported the reaction to the shooting from Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who Winant said was right on the money when it comes to the problems in Arizona Dupnik has said were exposed by the shooting.

“I feel like it’s OK to be racist here,” Winant said. He said he’s been surprised by the brazen bigotry he’s encountered since moving to Arizona.

“We’re in bad shape,” he said.

Like a lot of people from the Giffords supporter side of the line here, Winant said even though accused shooter Jared Loughner doesn’t appear to be a part of the powerful Arizona right-wing, the shooting should still serve as a call for conservatives to dial back their rhetoric.

“I hope it fires down the other side,” Winant told me. He’s a self-described progressive and says that the shooting has galvanized his side of the political line, which he said has been in the shadows here of late.

“There are Arizona liberals,” he said. “They’re hard to find sometimes, but we exist.”

Meanwhile, conservatives seem to have dug in following the shooting, preparing to confront the Winants of the world who want to see their side change its tune following the shooting. Driving around Tucson for several hours Sunday afternoon, I listened to conservative talk station 104.1 (“The Truth“) where the shooting was, unsurprisingly, the topic of the day. Caller after caller dialed in to express shock at the shooting, but also to condemn Democrats and Sheriff Dupnik for their suggestion that the shooting be used to take a second look at tea party rhetoric. Indeed, at Tucson-area tea party leader told me Saturday night that while she condemned the shooting, she wouldn’t tone down her rhetoric.

Though the political battle lines seem to have been drawn — and the two sides appear to remain very far apart after the shooting — it’s also clear that the city of Tucson is coming together in mourning after the tragedy that befell it just days ago. Flags are at half-mast, and nearly every conversation you hear is about coping with the agony of sudden loss.

At a candlelight vigil held outside Giffords’ district office here Sunday night, speakers read the names of those who were fatally shot as music played and prayers from all sides were offered.

“Pray for absolutely no violence,” one sign posted at the rally read.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Across the Nation, Vigils
Held For Rep. Giffords
]

A local rabbi led a prayer at the vigil, and called on the crowd to remember the aspects of the tragedy that can unite, rather than divide, this damaged community.

“I think it’s important to remember the names of those who died,” the rabbi said. “The six who died were each cherished lights in their families.”

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