The weekend's horrific shootings in Tucson, Ariz., raise lots of questions, but one specifically for local newspapers: Are politicians safe?
On Saturday, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others were shot at a Safeway Supermarket in a suburb of Tucson where she was holding a meet-and-greet with voters. Six people were killed in the shootings and the Congresswoman is in critical condition.
Reaction on this story locally is a no brainer. Here are a few ideas:
• Do local public officials — including politicians who serve your area in Washington, D.C. — have concerns about their safety and specifically holding events like Giffords did on Saturday?
• Officials often hold these meet-and-greet sessions. Have any local officials ever had any safety concerns at one of these local events before?
• Elected officials this weekend nearly all admitted that threats, including death, have just become part of the job. Talk to local police about the number of threats against officials in the last few years. Have the numbers increased and what's the process once police learn of a threat?
• Comments from many, including the sheriff in Tucson, signaled that the tone of political rhetoric in the United States is at unhealthy levels. What do your readers think? Ask them on Facebook and in a poll question.
The weekend's horrific shootings in Tucson, Ariz., raise lots of questions, but one specifically for local newspapers: Are politicians safe?
On Saturday, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others were shot at a Safeway Supermarket in a suburb of Tucson where she was holding a meet-and-greet with voters. Six people were killed in the shootings and the Congresswoman is in critical condition.
Reaction on this story locally is a no brainer. Here are a few ideas:
• Do local public officials — including politicians who serve your area in Washington, D.C. — have concerns about their safety and specifically holding events like Giffords did on Saturday?
• Officials often hold these meet-and-greet sessions. Have any local officials ever had any safety concerns at one of these local events before?
• Elected officials this weekend nearly all admitted that threats, including death, have just become part of the job. Talk to local police about the number of threats against officials in the last few years. Have the numbers increased and what's the process once police learn of a threat?
• Comments from many, including the sheriff in Tucson, signaled that the tone of political rhetoric in the United States is at unhealthy levels. What do your readers think? Ask them on Facebook and in a poll question.
