Heroism: “It was probably not the best idea to run toward the gunshots”
It looks like Congresswomen Giffords is still alive because an intern did not run away. Daniel Hernandez had been on her staff for five days went the bullets started to fly. The story of his actions had me weeping this morning:
When the shots began that morning, he saw many people lying on the ground, including a young girl. Some were bleeding. Hernandez said he moved from person to person checking pulses.“First the neck, then the wrist,” he said. One man was already dead. Then he saw Giffords. She had fallen and was lying contorted on the sidewalk. She was bleeding.
Using his hand, Hernandez applied pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap, holding her upright against him so she wouldn’t choke on her own blood. Giffords was conscious, but quiet. [snip]
He stayed with Giffords until paramedics arrived. They strapped her to a board and loaded her into an ambulance. Hernandez climbed in with her. On the ride to the hospital, he held her hand. She squeezed his back.
When they arrived at the hospital, Hernandez was soaked in blood.
Thank you Daniel Hernandez!
And what John said, “This shooting demonstrates that we really need to tone down the violent political rhetoric” needs to be repeated over and over again. The rhetoric of incitement is almost entirely on the Right and the false equivalence that all sides do it equally must be knocked down. Every time one these wingnut neo-Confederate mouths “you lie” or “government takeover” or “death pannels” or “job killing” or what ever Luntz crafted bullshit designed to incite and divided they need to be called out and Journalists who let them mouth these lies without rebuke need to know that they have blood on their hands.
The next time—and there will be a next time if the violent political rhetoric does not become taboo—we may not be so lucky as to have an intern like Mr. Hernandez around.
Great sadness today mixed with great anger for the assholes and their talking points of hate.
Thanks for posting this – it’s the only positive thing I’ve seen in this horror.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:15 am
Boehner professes to be horrified by all this, but didn’t he, more than any other Republican leader, give succor and legitimacy to the Tea Party haters? As the campaign rhetoric escalated towards dangerous levels, what did he have to say? Are his hands clean here?
January 9th, 2011 at 10:18 am
That is incredibly moving. It does sound like he saved her life. I just found out a close friend of my sister’s uncle got shot in Tucson yesterday. Luckily for her, he is in stable condition.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:19 am
Back during the health care battle, he said if Dreihaus(D- Cincinatti) voted for HCR he’d be a “dead man.”
on edit: “And angry voters are planning to protest this weekend at the home of Steve Driehaus — who’s already seen a photograph of his children used in a newspaper ad published by reform opponents.”
January 9th, 2011 at 10:22 am
I am humbled by the actions of Hernandez.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:22 am
i forget which one, but it sounds like it could an episode of “the west wing.”
January 9th, 2011 at 10:22 am
it won’t.
it didn’t after Kennedy. it didn’t after OKC. it hasn’t after all the recent smaller-scale political violence. it’s part of political culture, not just ours, but of all countries.
why do we tolerate it? beats me.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:22 am
I read that this AM and felt uplifted.
Mind you, someone in AZ is probably busy making sure Mr. Hernandez is actually in this country legally given his “suspect” last name….
@bob h
Boehner? Are you kidding—the guy who invoked “end times” by referring to the passage of HCR as “Armageddon”. Nope—no clean hands there.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Hernandez deserves to be celebrated. Seriously.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:25 am
@JCT: That is really sad and probably true.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:26 am
That made me cry.
This should be someone of influence’s “have you no shame” moment against those who foment hate and hysteria.
Many people should be ashamed that they did not challenge those who were wiping crazy people into frenzy all summer, alas, courage and honesty are not traits possessed by our MSM overloads and their corporate masters.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:26 am
It won’t be long before they start saying that Giffords would not have survived if we had Obama’s death panels around. Seriously. These people don’t know what they’re doing.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:31 am
I just saw that the kid who was killed was the granddaughter of Dallas Green, former manager of the Phillies. This does not make the story any more or less tragic; it just is a fact about it.
Edited for clarity
January 9th, 2011 at 10:32 am
It gives me hope for humanity that we have more Daniel Hernandezes than Jared Laughners.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:39 am
@Anya: I cried too.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Freelancer linked to this story earlier and I’m so glad Hernadez was there. He had just joined her organization as an intern five days earlier.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:40 am
Shooter was a pot-smoking, anti-religion, unemployed, slacker loner. 10X more likely to be a Ball-Juicer than a Tea Partier. But don’t let the facts spoil your (and the State Media’s) idiotic meme. Or as one columnist put it, in a tragedy like this, labeling the murderer isn’t important (unless he’s a Tea Party Extremist or Palin supporter).
This paragraph so stupid that it must’ve been written by a small child or a housecat. Look, if it helps you through your life to pretend that people who think like you do about politics are mostly civil and peaceful, and people who don’t think the way you do about politics are mostly evil barbarians, then fine. I just would never print such a ridiculous notion where it could be read by thinking people who remember lefties openly wishing Bush and Cheney dead, and who remember lefty loons killing people in train depots and attacking their neighbors in their homes because they supported Bush.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:42 am
Would any of the commenters in Tucson and/or Arizona be able to monitor the local news and let John or one of the other front-pagers know if the Greene family asks for donations or sets up a scholarship fund or something like that? Us Juicers love to donate, and it would at least feel like something positive could come of this tragedy.
(This is a repeat for the morning shift of something I thought of last night since I’m not quite sure what everyone’s schedules are.)
January 9th, 2011 at 10:44 am
I want to see a big pushback on “Both sides do it.”
Both sides don’t have equal-sized radio audiences like Limbaugh’s and Beck’s and Savage and O’Reilly and all the rest of the hate-slingers. We didn’t during the Bush years, either. Yeah, we had Air America and Stephanie Miller and Al Franken. And yes, they could all be angry sometimes, and say over-the-top stuff in response to the really upsetting Bush propaganda machine spewings.
Moveon had a Bush=Hitler contest entry which was never considered for a finalist. Code Pink peeps wore crazy pink clothing and yelled when they shouldn’t have! And oh my god, the Raging Grannies! I worried every day that some center-left latte-drinking, arugula-loving type would put down his chardonnay and go to his vast cache of guns ‘n ammo and head toward the nearest Free Speech Zone a few miles away from where any politician would be appearing. What a scary thought!
There was plenty of anger and vitriol and outrage that many of us had for the Bush machine. I honestly do not believe it reached anywhere near the level it has with Obama in office. I don’t care: hire some objective third party to research the incidence of violent rhetoric from “both sides.” I’d love to know the facts. I’d love to know what blog or message board of progressives reaches the depths of Freeperville or Red State or all the bomb-throwers at Pajamas Media and Town Hall.
I want to hear one fucking Republican say “we have problems with some of our constituents going over the line when it comes to our President and Democratic members of Congress.” Not to just shrug and say, “hey, both sides do it.” I want to see some honest person to come forward and say it, dammit.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:45 am
@Bender: Almost as stupid ass your bullshit.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:45 am
@Bender:
You’re aware you’re a fucktard, aren’t you?
January 9th, 2011 at 10:47 am
@Bender:
You just keep telling yourself that, sweetie. It’s the only thing that will relieve the crushing burden of guilt that a normal person who supported Republicans would be feeling this morning.
Deny deny deny. It’s the only way you’ll be able to live with yourself.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:47 am
@Bender: So I guess you agree with John’s statement that
January 9th, 2011 at 10:47 am
@wenchacha:
Na gonna happin.
These are not honest people. They can’t be. If they’re honest, they’d be pariahs.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:49 am
Thank you, Bender, for supplying Exhibit A of why right-wing violence isn’t going away anytime soon.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:49 am
@Bender:
It is clear that you and reality parted ways a long time ago but thanks for sharing your rich and active fantasy life. You are simply an idiot and this response is far more than a total fool like you and your word strings deserve.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:49 am
@Bender: Bender, there is only one of the two major parties that has people on the radio inciting violence, people in organized groups advocating violence, and people running for office advocating violence: Sharon Angle’s second amendment remedies obviously comes to mind. It is the Republican party. I have absolutely no need to make up facts about which party is more violent right now.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:49 am
I was going to suggest that as honorable as it would be to tone down the violent rhetoric, that it was going to be extremely difficult to do. (A) Because the more moderate among us have no influence among those who thrive on it, and (B) because it seems to be the primary form of communication among those who employ it. Take that rhetoric away, and those using such rhetoric seem to have little to say without it.
...And, then along comes Bender to illustrate my thesis for me. Thanks, Bender. It’s always nice to have an example that so clearly illustrates the point I want to make.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:51 am
Dear Bender,
Note that the disproportionate amount of violent rhetoric is coming from right wingers who hold prominent positions across the media landscape. There is no left wing equivalent to these figures. Read and comprehend this list:
http://www.csgv.org/issues-and.....n-timeline
January 9th, 2011 at 10:51 am
@Bender: The important distinction is that the lefties using violent rhetoric, insofar as they even exist outside your imagination, are not in positions of responsibility and power. The righties using violent rhetoric are in the Republican leadership.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@Bender:
Put up or shut up. Cite this. Especially the first part. Shouldn’t be hard, right?
dms
January 9th, 2011 at 10:54 am
anybody know what this refers to ?
January 9th, 2011 at 10:54 am
@Bender:
No, Bender’s right; that really did happen.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:55 am
@Bender:
Who, motherfucker? Who? Was it an anomyous commentator of a blog or a high-profile elected Democrat?
Because, in case you don’t remember, only one party declares that it’s time for “second amendment remedies”.
The congresswoman who was shot WARNED us about exactly this. Now all you loons are saying “the dems are just as guilty” or “it’s disrespectful to make this a political discussion”.
It was a political discussion the moment crosshairs appeared on Giffords’ district. Take some fucking responsibility.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:56 am
@Bender:
There, there, Bender. I know you’re upset that Rep. Giffords might pull through, but look on the bright side—your boy killed an innocent child!
Tea Party idol Timothy McVeigh would no doubt approve.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:56 am
@jcgrim:
Asking someone like Bender to “read and comprehend” is, I am afraid, fantasy.
You cannot reason with these people, who are utterly blinded by their hatreds. In particular, their hatred of the Sheriff who is near, which is the fundamental basis of the teabagger movement.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:56 am
An example of why the current situation is so dispiriting is that whenever a right winger such as bender shows up and posts something, the first reaction is to wonder whether it’s a tasteless parody.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:57 am
Just note for future reference that the apparently the same people who have vapors while pointing out the the Danger presented by Violent Language in Rap Music! Movies! Video Games! find violent political rhetoric somehow neutralized of the threat to society aspect.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:58 am
@Bender: Not-so-nice to see that the right-wing “we’re the real victim” routine still has adherents.
Get out from behind your computer, you pathetic excuser of murder. Do something worthy with your life instead of rail about your victimhood.
January 9th, 2011 at 10:58 am
but… but.. the shooter read Mein Kampf, written by the founder of national soshulism!
January 9th, 2011 at 10:58 am
@xian:
LOL.
One of my favorite rightard memes is the liberals are Nazis, because Nazi is short for National Socialism.
These guys never heard of marketing.
National Socialism is to socialism as the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea is to democracy.
(on edit, my apologies for using the dreaded S word. It really is necessary for this comment)
January 9th, 2011 at 11:00 am
Hernandez was a brave soul whose presence helped save Gabby’s life. Unfortunately, I allowed Bender to take away from the real point of the discussion.
Feeding trolls is never healthy but imo if bender disappeared the world would be better.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:04 am
My Facebook page is littered with comments about how people used to talk mean about Bush and Cheney, and that liberals didn’t do anything about it.
Ironically, the only person around them who actually got shot in the head was Dick Cheney’s friend. By Dick Cheney.
And Dick Cheney made him apologize for making Dick Cheney shoot him in the head.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:07 am
@Bender:
And don’t forget that the small child was killed in cold blood.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Maybe you should just re-title this post “we gave this post to bender” and make a new post about this act of heroism, and we can start over.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Hernandez spoke with This Week and said when he heard the gunfire he knew he had to run towards the congresswoman and her staff. He had limited training in triage and wanted to help.
I’m in tears again.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:23 am
@bob h: He campaigned with a Nazi Reenactor for God’s sake. And then said he was just rallying volunteers. I have nothing but contempt that the media isn’t discussing how far across the line Republicans went the last two years to successfully acquire power.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:26 am
to regroup…has there been any info on the people who subdued the shooter? That also must have take some quick thinking in a sea of chaos. I cannot comprehend being able to keep my head in such a situation.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:29 am
In a flier posted on its web site, the controversial church writes, “THANK GOD FOR THE SHOOTER —6 DEAD!” Busy that day Bender?
January 9th, 2011 at 11:33 am
@artem1s: There is plenty of information on local Tucson television website.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:34 am
Indeed. The right needs to shut up and leave civil debate to the people who actually seem to know how to do it.
January 9th, 2011 at 11:46 am
@Bender: You need to try harder.
January 9th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
@stuckinred:
Where do these cretins get the money to run all over the country to protest at funerals? I didn’t think Westboro Church had a mega-church size congregation. I picture it as a smallish group of people, most of whom are all related to each other.
January 9th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
@Regnad Kcin: Where would you like your Internet delivered?
January 9th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
Tags to this call for “toning down the political rhetoric”
Assholes, Flash Mob of Hate, Republican Stupidity, Republican Venality
Well, that’s certainly a nice start…
January 9th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
@polyorchnid octopunch: Heh. Indeed. Make mine a double.
For the life of me I can’t place the second half of his delusion, but the first one definitely reeks of Bauerism.
January 9th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
@ Bender:
Exactly how many examples of over-the-top rightwing violent rhetoric are you going to need? Second amendment remedies? “Targeting” your polictical enemies with bullseyes? Calling a fellow representative who casts a vote for healthcare a “deadman”?
Anyone watching clips from Democratic Townhall meetings or Teaparty meetings over the last 18 months has seen plenty of violent imagery and words coming from the right, both from rightwing politicans and Teaparty participants. There is a false equlivalance working here, and your attempt to deny it is pitiful.
January 9th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
@JPL:
This just shows that liberals are just like Autobots.
Snark aside, really, it shows that “liberals” are some kind of wuss people who needs guns or anything. An unarmed man runs towards a shooting and his last name is Hernandez? Yeah man, play that up.
cain
January 9th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
@stuckinred:
I guess you just wanted to use the word “ass” somewhere whether or not the resulting comment makes any sense. You know, you can edit your comments on this blog, if you see a typo. Just trying to help. Ass.
January 9th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
@jcgrim:
It’s always interesting to me in these comments when a liberal is trying to convince a conservative of something that they’ll point to a obviously left web site as “proof”.
January 9th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
And this should be a good lesson about the roots of courage: our soldiers would be far better off if the military was full of big gay men named Hernandez willing to run into gunfire to save the lives of the wounded.
January 9th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
I realized I made two meta comments without addressing the post. Thanks for the link, Dennis. Great story to come out of this tragedy.
January 9th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Thank you, Daniel.
To save a single life is to save the world entire.
January 9th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
This “Bender” seems like yesterday’s “Change” with a second ladling of Bittersauce™. One and done.
Just sayin’
January 9th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
@mellowjohn:
20 Hours in America?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....ata_player
January 9th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
The infammatory rhetoric does need to be chilled.
More people may decide to take it seriously.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Cain, be careful, someone may decide that you are, actually, mad, bad and dangerous to know, instead of a keyboard kommando. Which we all, logically, know. Not everyone is aware of that.
just sayin’ doncha know?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
@Bender:
If we’re serious about inflammatory rhetoric then shitheads like Bender need to be kicked to the curb. It’s time to stop tolerating trolls. Let Bender go over to RedState and hang with Erick Erickson and the psychopaths over there.
January 9th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Approbo of nothing, Daniel Hernandez was openly gay.
Joe.My.God: Openly Gay Intern Daniel Hernandez Jr. Credited With Saving Life Of Rep. Giffords
January 9th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Every time one of these incidents happens I think: what about gun control? These crazy people get very lethal weapons as easily as a toothbrush.
We (thanks NRA!) ask for this with our gun laws.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
@artem1s:
I’ve been wondering that myself. It made me remember Greg McKendry at the Unitarian Church shootings in Knoxville who died when he jumped in front of the gunman, which gave other church members enough time to tackle him.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:20 pm