I was with my daughter when I got a horrific phone call from my mother. I had heard that there was a shooting in Tucson earlier on the news but it seemed so far away, and I initially thought it was not an area that my brother lived in.
How very wrong and how very incredibly numb. Our little Christina, my niece, my daughter’s cousin, was the nine-year-old who was shot going to see Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords speak.
I immediately thought of my brother and his family. How could this happen?
Christina was a bright, cheerful girl who was full of life and had a future brighter than the brightest star. We miss her terribly.
What has to change is the senselessness of such acts across the country. Christina was one of many – every day you turn on the news. There were 325 murders in Philadelphia alone in 2011 – people who have guns but have no morals and no regard for human life. This person had 30 some odd rounds of ammunition and was able to kill and injure so many people in just seconds. He had an untreated mental condition and yet he was able to get guns and ammunition with little effort on his part. Something as simple as a complete background check potentially could have prevented these deaths. Legislation is needed in ALL 50 STATES to curb senseless killing by unstable individuals. What additionally needs to happen is education. Gun ownership carries a powerful responsibility. No one outside of the military needs a military-style gun that can kill like that. It shouldn’t be a popular thing to have these types of weapons. Early education and decreased popularity will help to make these guns no longer popular with the public.
We miss Christina every day. Now, she is an angel that we look for every night in the stars and in kind words from friends and family. It would have been so much better to have her here with us, with her family, growing into the beautiful young person that she was to become. STOP THE VIOLENCE! PASS THE LAWS!
Tribute to Christina-Taylor Green
January 8, 2012 By 10 Comments
The January 8th, 2011 shootings reminded us once again that life is a precious gift. Our hearts continue to be with the families of our fallen friends and neighbors!
Thank you so much Dana. I live in Tucson and my heart aches so much for all those who lost their lives that day and I will light a candle for Christina, Gabe Zimmerman, Judge John Roll, Dorvan Stoddard, Phyllis Schneck, and Dorothy Morris. I will pray for hope that our community and others around the nation come together to work sincerely for civility & peace and finally I definitely support and will work toward stricter gun laws to keep guns out the hands of such disturbed people.
Part of me is so utterly sad and the other is downright angry. This should NEVER have happened and yet it did and does every day. Why are we not doing more to get guns out of the hands of those that should not have them?
I’m angry that tonight the Greens cannot kiss their daughter good night and I’m angry that so many others are missing loved ones because of senseless gun violence. If we do anything in Christina-Taylor’s memory and all of those others lost, we should stand up and never let this happen again. Keep guns out of the hands of those that should not have them. Pass the laws. Do what’s right for this country and our families.
Thank you Dana for sharing your tribute.
With your permission, we will use your tribute about Christina at our Candlelight vigil this Sunday in West Chester, PA. Everyone here remembers with fondness Dallas Green as the manager of the 1980 world champion Phillies, and we can only imagine how devastated he, you, and all of your extended family have been affected by this senseless act of violence that took away your angel.
Tom Buglio
Cease Fire PA
Certainly – I saw your vigil and wish you well. Thank you so very much for thinking of my brother and his family, and all the extended family that miss her very much. We will be a very small gathering at Conowingo, on the farm where she was born. Thanks again for remembering Christina.
Dana, as a mother of three daughters, the oldest of which returned to Tucson just 2 days following the tragedy to start spring semester at Univ. of Arizona, I, too, was deeply touched in particular by the loss of dear Christina. My thoughts and prayers were with all of the victims and their families on Sunday. My tribute to your little niece found expression in the form of a song I wrote called “Little Girl”. Just a couple months ago, the principal of Mesa Verde kindly accepted a copy of it and agreed to pass it on as my gift to your brother and his family. I hope it reached them. The dedication on the song reads: “LITTLE GIRL” is dedicated to Christina Taylor Green and the other five victims who lost their lives in the shooting tragedy in Tucson, Arizona on January 8, 2011. As we go about our daily lives exercising our American freedom, let’s never forget that the freedom to be the best we can be, is equally precious to the freedom to behave badly.” I hope you and your family can take comfort in one of the verses:
Little Girl, you are in my brother’s eyes
Everyday, as we pass each other by
A stranger can turn into a friend,
One family we all are in the end,
Stay near us, and remind us, again,
We need your love today, Christina
Know that so many share your grief and hope that we can all continue to come together to find an end to this kind of senseless violence.
I live in the neighborhood of this tragedy, shop at that Safeway and am a very active parent at Mesa Verde Elementary – my daughter was a schoolmate of Christina’s. Our hearts go out to you and your family and all of the families directly involved on that day. I couldn’t agree more – there is no reason people need access to military rifles and background checks MUST be required to own any firearm. I wouldn’t think that those responsible enough to have one would have anything to hide. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time of remembrance. We will be remembering on January 8th at Mesa Verde as well as participating in daily random acts of kindness by each student and staff at Mesa Verde during the month of January.
Thank you. You were there when that awful event occurred. You have a wonderful community who have supported my brother and his family in the most amazing ways. I have never been more impressed with a community that came together to help each other. I remember being at Mesa Verde too, and I am glad that all the work from Christina’s fund is helping other children. Thanks again.
I don’t have words. Love to all the Greens and Resslers
–I mourn with you….
Love Love Love.