Posted on 01/13/2011 5:26:33 AM PST by Red Badger
TUCSON, AZ -- Some conservatives are upset over t-shirts bearing the logo "Together We Thrive: Tucson & America" that were handed out to attendees at tonight's memorial service in the McKale Center on the campus of the University Of Arizona here.
The shirts, which bear the same logo that adorns other items from the event -- including press passes, signage and volunteer t-shirts -- were placed on many of the seats in the lower sections of the arena when tonight's capacity crowd walked in.
The University Of Arizona did not immediately respond to requests for more information on the shirts, which are drawing fire in the conservative twitter- and blogosphere tonight. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. A person familiar with the event confirmed the university put the event together, and was responsible for t-shirts, tickets, fliers, etc.
"I'm having a physical reaction to the T-shirts," Amanda Carpenter, a speech writer for Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) tweeted tonight. "I'm tearing up. This feels wrong."
(The tweet has since been deleted.)
Other conservatives on Twitter shared in the sentiment. Some have already speculated the shirts were paid for with taxpayer dollars.
Michelle Malkin had earlier raised a rukus about the event's logo on her blog.
"Isn't the churning of the instant messaging machine a bit, well, unseemly?" she wrote. "Can't the Democrat political stage managers give it a break just once?"
Right-wing media star Tammy Bruce had some of the harshest attacks on the event and the crowd here in Tucson. She likened the event to the 2002 funeral for Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN), which conservatives at the time claimed was unfairly turned into a political rally by Wellstone's supporters.
"Massacre Rally Theatre is a complete abomination. Absolutely obscene," Bruce tweeted Wednesday. "Clinton should be happy, no longer will 'Wellstone' be the benchmark."
Additional reporting by Ryan J. Reilly.
This post has been updated since it was first published.
I figured they were celebrating because the pro-life Republican Federal judge was killed.
Absolutely CLASSLESS! T-SHIRTS!!!???? It was a memorial event! A solemn gathering.Not a friggin’ rock concert. I’m convinced Barry Hussein will say and do anything so he can bask in applause and cheers.
Sure we have a spree killer a week in this country, but most of those don't have the potential political exploitablility that this guy brought to the table.
Well actually, he really didn't bring any politics to the table, but they had a pretty Democratic congresswoman with a serious head wound, so they whipped up all the side dishes on their own.
Agree. This was Wellstone II in spades.
In tackiness, noise, laughter, politicizing, Indian tricks, more noise, etc.
Guess funereal T-shirts are the next number.
Wow, my heart goes out to you and your wife. Only God’s grace and mercy could get you through something like that.
We had 3 living children after the stillbirth, a miscarriage, and then another live child who we call our miracle child because the doctor told us immediately that she would not survive. We are so cognizant of what a great gift every life is.
And yet sometimes when we’re all sitting together I have such a feeling that somebody is missing, that we’re not all there. I don’t think a day has gone by where the memory of the 2 who died isn’t there in some way, usually just some quick thought that comes and goes but sometimes I have to just stop what I’m doing and cry for a while. Usually when somebody else is going through the same kind of pain and it rips the scabs open again.
The family of the child who died will have a hard time. My miracle child is 11 now and we pray together each night. Last night we prayed for all the families but especially for that family - that once the reporters are gone, the funeral is done, and they are left alone to realize in all the big and little ways just how much they miss her, they will have the assurance of strength, love, and hope enough to face each day as it comes until they can be reunited with her in Heaven.
After our loss one of the most healing things was the people who told us they had been through the same loss. It made me realize that I was not singled out for special punishment from God, that I was not alone, and that a person can make it through to healing by God’s grace. I hope that others who have been through the loss of a child to senseless violence will reach out to this family and give them the strength and hope that comes from their particular experience.
And I hope and pray that the husband and wife can let each other grieve how they need to, and extend grace to each other. Most families don’t survive the death of a child intact. The grieving between husband and wife is usually so different, and the coping mechanisms sometimes isolating. We made it through but it was very tough. My heart goes out to them; they will need our thoughts and prayers for a long time.
I agree. Most Americans couldn’t find Tuscon on a map. While a shocking story it’s still a story about a mad man. The only ‘interesting’ angle to it was the fact that it completely burst the balloon of the new Republican congress. So rather than having a week of media dissecting every tear of Boehner and ever flutter of Pelosi’s eyelashes we’re wringing our hands over whether or not free people should be allowed to express themselves freely and whether or not our congressional reps should have public events. The whole thing is a circus and has served the democrats well. I hope and pray that the congress gets back to the people’s business next week and doesn’t change the agenda.
What a difference a day makes. One day we are making forward progress in restoring our liberties and the next we are back to squelching constitutional freedoms while slamming talk radio & Sarah Palin. The more things change the more they stay the same.
I do care who paid...it was highly inappropriate on a lot of levels and I would like to know where the “credit” lies.
That is the same thing I told my wife last night.
It’s a university hospital dependent upon federal funding.
Sadly, he had no choice but to allow people into the ICU room of a patient who dare not be exposed to infection from any source.
The University Of Arizona did not immediately respond to requests for more information on the shirts, which are drawing fire in the conservative twitter- and blogosphere tonight. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. A person familiar with the event confirmed the university put the event together, and was responsible for t-shirts, tickets, fliers, etc.
Ah, zero chose to miss going to Ft Hood to honor the troops killed there. If he had gone and had tee shirts, they would have had F. T. A. on the front.
Did you forget the < /sarcasm> tag??
Yeah, I was typing it on my Blackberry so I was lazy, I figured it was implied.
I guess.
OK. Heck, I don’t even have a personal cell phone, much less a Blackberry.
What an idiotic logo. It implies that the shooter was very political and not “together” with Giffords’ ideology. To be honest, it would’ve addressed insane, demon-possessed, citizens.
...or a colony of bacteria...............
Yes, And if she does developes some infection (God Forbid) the Hospital will be blamed.
I have never seen an ICU that allows a steady stream of visitors to a Critical Patient.
I’m no expert, but isn’t quiet a rule for brain injury Patients.
“This is NOT the Oklahoma City bombing. This is NOT the 3,000 people massacred at WTC.”
You’re right. It is much more similar to the Fort Hood shootings. The contrast in the way the two tragedies were handled is breathtaking. In one a muslim terrorist shot our soldiers and the government told us not to jump to conclusions about his connection to Jihad....in spite of his allah akbar prelude. They told us it may be a lone nut.
In Arizona we have a lone nut and the secretary of state tells on overseas audience that we have “extremists” too and squarely points the finger everywhere but at the nut responsible. The most astonishing thing is that anybody believes anything they say.
Prayer is the only thing that will get us out of this mess. I really believe we are up against the forces of darkness and without the Lord we are toast.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.