COLUMN: Tucson shooting victim Christina Taylor Green should be example for all
Of all the tragedy involved with last weekend’s shooting in Tucson, Ariz., I found nothing more personally heartbreaking than the death of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green.
From the initial news reports to President Barack Obama’s speech at the Tucson memorial service Wednesday night, it became clear that this little girl was special, and children her age and their parents should take her as an example.
In interviews, her parents revealed Green and her mother were at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ “Congress on Your Corner” event because the young girl was interested in the process of government, and wanted to learn about it and meet her representative.
Imagine that! A 9-year-old girl interested in learning about and taking an active role in the government that affects her life.
Find the nearest 9-year-old, and ask them if they would be interested in going to meet with their Congressional representative. Ask them if they even know who their representatives are, what they do, or what the responsibilities of Congress are.
For that matter, find the nearest twentysomething and ask them the same questions.
Across demographics, the biggest problem plaguing the democratic process in America is apathy.
Christina Taylor Green should be taken as an example. Parents should teach their children how the government works and why their participation is so important.
It’s probably asking too much to expect a 9-year-old to care about federal legislation as much as Nickelodeon’s afternoon television programming, but keeping them informed on important issues should be a part of raising a child. By nine, I’d hope kids would have informed opinions on more than who is their favorite Pokemon.
American citizens, be they nine or 90, are critically affected by the decisions of every level of government and should take an active interest in it.
Of all the potential changes to come from this tragedy, I hope citizens’ participation in government increase, rather than decrease.
We should take the example of Green and the others who were killed or injured that day and participate in the political process because it is vital to our lives. We should not let the whims of one crazed man with a gun deter that.
