Once again, my beloved Tucson is in national headlines for violence.

In the aftermath of yesterday's tragedy, my thoughts wandered to the 2002 UA Nursing College shooting that shook up this community; as well as last year's incidents at both Grijalva & Giffords' offices.

The environment in Arizona has been dangerously violent for a lot longer than the past 24 hours. You could feel it in the air as the health care debate unfolded in 2009 and then, especially for me & other AZ Latinos, during the SB1070 & HB2281 onslaught.

The rhetoric and the physical violence cannot be separated. When the fire is turned up so high, eventually something gives...it's like the pressure exerted on a fault line.

Well, an earthquake definitely rattled Southern Arizona.

My prayers continue for all the victims of this assassination plot and the families & friends deeply affected by this loss.

Labels: Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-08)