I believe we can be better, too

Written by Sean McCaffrey on January 13, 2011, 02:45 AM

In the days since Jared Lee Loughner seriously wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others, including a federal judge and a 9-year-old girl who, we’ve since learned, had been born on September 11, 2001, many of us in the so-called “right” have been on the defensive. Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, conservatives and the “right wing” have all been blamed by liberal commentators, members of the media, and politicians for the tragic attack. We have all been blamed because of our tireless, vigilant voice against a government out-of-control and a liberal media run amok.

And nowhere has this been more apparent than in the days when a brave, centrist young congresswoman lay fighting for her life and rather than blame her would-be assassin, the liberal establishment blamed us. And ironically, it was supposed to have been OUR rhetoric which created the atmosphere which led to the shooting, not theirs.

On January 12, 2011, President Obama joined state and federal lawmakers, friends and family of the victims of the recent Tucson shooting, and thousands of citizens looking for healing, hope, solace and even closure. At the memorial service, in his speech, Mr. Obama spoke around the issue of blame for the tragedy. He neither chastised his fellow liberals for their outrageous political attacks not defended those of us who have weathered them. But he said something important: “I believe we can be better.”

I believe we can be better, too.

I believe we, as a nation, can be better if we focus on the issues and challenges we must confront, rather than the people themselves who may disagree with us.

I believe we can be better advocates for our positions, and as such, we can win victories for our causes. And I believe we can make our states and our nation safer and more prosperous as a result.

At BANAMNESTYNOW we oppose amnesty for illegal aliens who committed crimes to come to the United States in violation of our laws – just as we applaud and welcome with open arms those immigrants who come here legally, who make the American dream work.

At BANAMNESTYNOW we support securing the border – which is not just an immigration issue, but an economic, community safety and national security issue as well.

And at BANAMNESTYNOW we seek to inform, educate and further the public debate on these and related issues because jobs, lives and the direction of our nation are all at stake.

Those who disagree with us – elected officials, the open-borders lobby, and the pro-amnesty crowd – have been vocal opponents. Recent protests have likened leaders in our movement to Hitler, and encouraged acts of violence. Often times, “racist” is the most polite term they use, but still entirely wrong and very inappropriate.

I believe we can do better – and I hope others can, as well. Passion in politics and political discourse should be applauded, but when our opponents and the left resort to threats, name-calling and worse, their desperation is evident and they are hurting their own cause.