In the aftermath of the Arizona shootings, I have come to the conclusion that America is going through a "political climate change, instead of "atmospheric climate change." Since that "global warming" thing did not work out so well, the name that rained down from Mount Olympus was "climate change." The climate changed all right. The earth kept "warming," with winter weather whacking the world, including the US south, Brazil and Australia. I read about what happened in those areas affected in disbelief, and my thoughts and prayers went out to them. Mother Nature sure has a strange way of showing that she has commanded the earth to overheat itself.

However, "climate change," of the political persuasion, has been hitting the US for some time now, and the shootings in Arizona on Saturday, January 8, 2011 provided the "perfect" opportunity for pundits and politicians to pontificate and bloviate. What really struck me was the rush to "pin the tail on the donkey, elephant," when the backside of the elephant was not yet visible, and bodies were still lying in the streets. What happened to honoring the dead, by placing partisan accusations aside for even a few days? It was truly disgusting. Folks who really care about this country will have to wake up and save their country. No, I am not advocating that folks bring out vials of vitriol, step up the "political terrorism," or "heated rhetoric" or any of the other buzz words floating around, or to be more accurate, being tossed around. I will share my non-violent, non-vitriolic suggestions later. It is heartbreaking to watch the spectacle, as if observing a family at war, deliberately hurting one another, knowing full well that the members will need to share the facilities, and if the house is destroyed, no one wins. America does not need foreign enemies. The domestic political sharks are super skilled – in nation destruction, instead of nation building.

I am going to pretend that I am a referee in a team boxing match, and keep a scorecard. In this corner is Team L and in the other corner Team R. Hop in the ring, Teams. Show us what you have. Team L's contention is that Team R is responsible for the death and mayhem in Arizona. The actual alleged triggerman's famous defense lawyer may be able to use this for his defense . Who knows, unlike the Unabomber, Zacarias Moussaoui, and the other famous – and incarcerated clients, he may actually get off. He probably can claim that he is not responsible because an "expert witness" has fingered Team R, as the real guilty party. Spectators, buckle your seatbelts – "it is going to be a bumpy night," as Margo Channing declared in "All About Eve." First contendah up for Team L is Sheriff Dupnik. This article was practically salivating over the "overnight sensation" that he has become. The overnight sensation pronounced his state, from which he gets his salary as "a mecca for prejudice and bigotry." He is supposedly 73 years old. Has the mecca forgotten to include age bias in its list of prejudices and bigotry? The Arizona Republic is not sharing the equivalent of the "tingle up the leg."

I must be honest here. I somehow do not envision law enforcers striding into the ring of public opinion freely sharing opinion while apparently short on facts. It was quite a surprise to see Contendah Dupnik throwing punch after punch at pundits, politicians and public, with such impunity. I must have watched too much Dragnet where "just the facts, m'am" was the order of the day. Sgt. Friday got those facts, and delivered them, with a face carved out of granite, immovable, betraying no emotion. Is the 21st century method of policing going to evolve into opinion first – possibly followed by facts?

After those many punches delivered by Contendah Dup, does Team L need any more ammo? Apparently so. Pugilist pundits clambered over the ropes and almost hit this referee out of the ring, with all of the whacks being delivered from Alaska to Arizona! Wait a minute. Team R is rallying with a few feisty females funneling facts disguised as fists! Team L is shouting "no fair, she has a vat of vitriol!" From my perch, she is lifting that vat without assistance. Poor babies – let's see what Team L is now swinging, I mean gently throwing into the atmosphere, like doves of peace being released. Alas, the blows being swung by Team L, although laced with vitriol, are not making as much of an impact as they should. Maybe the public is not as stupid as Team L seems to believe. Referee EC will have to check the scorecard – back in a few minutes.

In the intermission, legislators weighed in and are quite overweight – with suggestions – ranging from raising funds in honor of the dead, placing limits on the access of the public to their representatives, to placing a "security shield" over Congress. Are we talking science fiction here, or turning a virtual Mount Olympus into a physical representation? Beefed up security – for members of Congress, focusing on airport screening, is the focus of this representative. He feels "ill at ease" going through airports. No kidding. He should talk to those amply endowed ladies who are being fondled, I mean examined. I am not sure what to make of the following sentence:

"We've had some incidents where TSA authorities think that congresspeople should be treated like everybody else."

Blame my "vitriolic" brain for this thought which came to mind, that "Some animals are more equal than others." And here I was thinking that the only difference between this congressman and yours truly – apart from the obvious gender thing, is that he is allowed to have "Rep." in front of his name? Thanks for clearing that up. I thank him for affirming that it is all right for Joe and Josephine Public to be "groped" by TSA, but not have the same inspection of the "more equal animals." I am not going to touch the dripping with irony declaration that – "we (congresspeople) are held to a higher standard!" I figured out the "congress speak." "Held to a higher standard" does not necessarily translate to "hold ourselves to a higher standard." I am getting an education from this "congressperson," in the form of a "verbal enhanced pat down!"

What "happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"? But, what happens in the US, does not stay in the US. "Older" nations felt compelled to verbally jump into the fray. One report opined that right wing rhetoric "with Sarah Palin at centre of storm over political vitriol after spree leaves six dead and congresswoman in critical condition," were the facts of the Arizona shootings. The 'man up" culture in US politics is highlighted "in a country that sees violent masculinity as the ideal," is another take on the shootings. In the interests of not spreading any "vitriol," I will refrain from stating that it is the "man up culture" of the US that saved quite a number of countries, some 70 years or so ago from Hitler and his pals, and continues to provide protection without much given in return. Does the writer of the article mean men such as Commander Dick Winters , who spent part of his youth "manning up" and saving Europe? As a further matter of fact, some of those nations could do with some "manning up," instead of allowing their countries to be overrun. My fondest wish is that this country to which I would have dedicated my fortune (if I had one) and do dedicate my fealty, (of which I have plenty), would display even more manning up! Oops – mea culpa. I stated what I said that I would not say. Am I learning from Team L, Team R, or just plain "manning up," although I am female? It feels good to "man up" and not be silenced into verbal submission!

This next report gathered up world reaction. The following paragraphs pretty much sum up the "world's reaction:"

Global reaction to the shooting of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords focused primarily on the deep divisions inside the United States and the heated rhetoric that dominates its political discussions.

Many commenters in the foreign press around the world said they were little surprised given America's lax gun laws and recent history of mass shootings. Still other media outlets ignored the American tragedy entirely. 

There is so much this "commenter" could comment on vis-à-vis the "world reaction," but this time she is really going to stick to her goal of not providing any vitriol, even though she now fully realizes that talking the truth can be labeled "vitriol." In any case, the previous comments can be inserted here also. What the heck? I will continue to "man up!" I will take America with its "lax gun laws" rather than live in countries that have surrendered their culture, language and values, without a whimper. Ironically, it is because America is now trying to emulate those failed states, why it is in trouble.

I almost forgot to check back in after intermission of the fistfight, er "physical debate" between Teams L & R. This World Net Daily article dug up information from one of the journalistic supporters of Team L. I am tempted to give the victory to Team L for "excellence" in verbal pugilism. However, because Team R was sucker punched by Team L, because Team L realized long ago, that without underhanded tactics, it cannot win the "war of words," notwithstanding assists from press and punditry battalions – the trophy goes to Team R! Whew, this referee is tuckered out from researching and score keeping – but pleased that she made the right decision – based on the unsportsmanlike conduct of Team L. If she may be so bold to advise Team L, Referee EC would simply suggest – next time "just the facts, m'am," or sir.

To wrap this all up, the president consoled the nation, and at least this time he did not employ his bring a gun verbiage. At the memorial at which he spoke, there was a rather festive atmosphere, from what I have heard and read. Truth in advertising: I cannot bear to watch politicians any longer, so I did not watch. Gifts were even presented to attendees. "Together we thrive"? I can turn that slogan supposedly on T-shirts at the memorial for the slain and wounded, into "together we dive" – right into oblivion as a nation, if we do not stop feeding on one another. By the way family and friends, at my memorial service, you can holler and whoop, just do not sell or give away any T-shirts, especially any that read "ding dong, the witch is dead!"

So what can we do as a nation? There will always be internal enemies whose purpose is to destroy the country. They allow their deep seated sense of lack of self worth make them want to destroy the country from which they have gained so much, usually materially. They realize that in a truly competitive country that this country used to be, their train to the top of the heap, would have been derailed while they stopped for instructions on how to operate the train. They have taken that saying "it is not what you know, but who you know," and screwed up other people's lives, by their bumbling.

Those of us who love this country must not be intimidated into being silent and let the country fall. While we must learn to look behind the pretty words and examine their meanings, we have to accept that hyperbole and metaphoric use of language will always be part of the English language. We cannot become so hypersensitive that if the president uses his "bring a gun" description, that we think that he means bringing an actual weapon to a political fight. Presumably he understands the use of metaphorical or figurative language. As VP Biden stressed when he talked about "strangling" Republicans, he was using a figure of speech. We are not that stupid that we do not understand that – no matter the orator, are we?

As for the rush to control guns, how many times if bystanders had not had registered guns, how many more folks would have been killed in situations where "nuts" do have guns and try to kill others? At the risk of sounding "vitriolic," whenever I read the story of a crime where the criminal is "dispatched" by a courageous citizen, while I do not rejoice, I feel satisfied that the criminal will not live to have an encore of the criminal kind. If we pass laws to control legal ownership of guns, the criminals will find ways to arm themselves while an unarmed citizenry makes good target practice.

Quite frankly, I am going to take away from the week ending on January 8, 2011, one worthwhile memory – that of a nine year old girl , not that of her 22-year old alleged killer. Christina saved a life. Her alleged killer? We already know the answer. She was the sunshine to be remembered and cherished. Listening to stories about her, reading accounts about her demonstrate that she indeed had "a zest for life," and would have made even more of an impact on this world, had she not been robbed of her life by someone whose interests were more in the "pharmaceuticals," and other "esoteric" interests.

Mr. Green, I am with you about your being "a little about the Old West." We should all have a little more of that spirit. May you and your family continue to be comforted. The same sentiments are extended to all of the others affected by this massacre, including Congresswoman Giffords and her family. Two songs that we can probably try to live by, just came to mind: "We Will Survive," and "We are Family." This is still America, where hopefully, we all realize that we do have a stake in the survival of this nation. We can either change the nation into another mediocre country, with factions rampaging through its cities. Or – strive to retain what remains of the "shining city on the hill." I know which side I am on and will remain.

God bless America!