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Gabrielle Giffords Lesson For All of Us
This is a sad week. The shooting in Arizona has thrust Representative Gabrielle Giffords into the national spotlight and made her known to many who otherwise might never have come to hear of her remarkable ability to truly be a public servant. Certainly all of us are saddened with her plight and with the deaths and injuries that accompanied that moment of mayhem.
In the news coverage, we see reactions ranging from blaming the vitriolic national rhetoric to a resurgence of the debates on gun laws. The focus whips from placement of crosshairs on Giffords' district to examination of the mental state of the shooter. How much more comfortable we would be if we could know that addressing one identifiable issue could provide us the protection we'd all like. If there were an easy or direct solution, we'd have managed it by now and mass casualty shootings would be a thing of the past. Addressing any of those issues is far beyond my own capacity, at least at this moment.
But I can't help but be amazed at our lack of connecting the dots between the issues listed above and the challenges we have with school climate. How is it that we can accept crosshairs on a district by national leaders when that same behavior on the part of one of our students would catapult them into our threat assessment procedures? How is it that we see blatantly disrespectful behavior on the floor of the Senate but expect our students to show more maturity in our schools? How is it that a legislator would propose a law that prohibits people from bearing weapons within a thousand yards of a congressman, but not provide that same protection for a school superintendent, or a teacher, or a neighbor, or a child?
The challenge I would propose to all of us in these times is to be willing to take a deep breath and stop looking for the single answer or the one place for which we can target our blame. Instead, this is a moment when we can each take the example that Rep. Giffords has afforded us. Remarkable in her ability to be trusted by colleagues and constituents from both political parties. Remarkable in her ability not to make assumptions or place blame when interviewed about her office break-in following her vote on health care. Remarkable in her ability to remain focused on what's good for people rather than any particular special interest.
Words spoken at the memorial in Tucson give us direction. Let us take the time to reflect on our discourse. As we discuss difficult issues, let us do so with a good dose of humility. Strive to align our actions with our values. That "only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to our challenges as a nation," and indeed, our challenges in our homes, in our communities, and in our schools. That how we treat each other is entirely up to us.
Perhaps this is a time we could consider suspending what we had on the lesson plans for the day, and instead, showing all or clips of President Obama's speech. Perhaps this could be a time when we do this in tribute to the lives lost. As was stated, these events cause us to "look backward" and question what we've done, but also compel us to "look forward" at the changes that need to occur and what our individual roles might be in that change.
Two aspects of this event so reinforce what we know to be true. One is that, when tragedies occur, the way we get through them is "together." Clearly, those in Tucson have come together in a magnificent way, and the President's presence reinforces the importance of all of us stopping to pay note when lives are lost. The second is that people only die in vain if we fail to take note, assess situations, reflect on lessons to be learned, and take action.
It seems this is a wonderful opportunity for us to demonstrate to our students that life matters, that when tragedies occur, we notice, and that at times like this, we take advantage of the teachable moment. This link will take you to a brief guide for leading classroom discussion following viewing any or all of the President's speech.
I loved the ending of the brief interview of Reverend Welton Gaddy, president of The Interfaith Alliance, when he said (paraphrased), "Tonight Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes. Perhaps tonight we can do the same.
Looking forward, with eyes wide open ~
Cheri |
