WASHINGTON — Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was doing what every member of Congress does when she went to the Safeway store in Tucson on Saturday. She was meeting her constituents face-to-face, listening to their requests, their complaints, their grievances. It is the essence of a free society, an act integral to the operations of the people’s House — and a reminder of the vulnerability of elected officials all across the country.
Giffords now lies in a hospital in critical condition. Six people were killed in the attack, including a federal judge and a child; 14 were injured. A great debate has begun to unfold about the conduct of politics in a climate of hatred and fear. No one can know at this point what the long-term effects of the shootings will be, if any. At a minimum, they offer a reminder that elected officials deserve better than the routine demonization that has become commonplace in politics today.
There is no conclusive connection between the motives of the alleged Tucson shooter and the inflamed political discourse that has become the norm in recent years. He may prove to be a deranged loner and nothing more.
Still, the terrible events have brought a renewed and healthy focus on the culture of politics in this country. In the short term, at least, everyone has pulled back to pause and reflect.
The presidential motorcade — complete with flashing lights, armored limousines, heavily armed war wagons and Secret Service agents at the ready — is an iconic image of modern politics in America. That is the exception. The norm is what was taking place in Tucson on Saturday: a lone politician, without security, accompanied by a few members of her staff, making herself available to the public — and paying a huge price.
The practical question raised by the events in Tucson is how much risk politicians must accept as part of their job. Elected officials live with risk every day. Only a handful of congressional leaders have security protection: the top leaders and occasionally a member who has received extraordinary threats. The rest carry on their duties fully exposed to whatever fury may await them, whether rhetorical insults hurled from a crowd at a town-hall meeting or the violent act of a sick individual with access to a gun.
It’s likely that members of Congress, or candidates running for other offices, will reconsider how they hold public events. Most elected officials will be reluctant to curtail direct contact with their constituents, although security precautions likely will be enhanced. Many citizens likely will continue to attend these events, but after Saturday’s shootings, some may choose to stay home rather than potentially expose themselves to acts of violence. Electronic town halls, no substitute for the give-and-take of public meetings, may become more commonplace, to the detriment of all.
The broader question is whether the political culture is too heated and too supercharged — which people across the political spectrum agree is the case — and if so, what can or should be done about it.
