Sad Times

Normally I'm a glass half full kinda girl, but in wake of the Arizona shooting over the weekend, I'm beginning to wonder if there is hope for our country. I know there are always going to be crazies out there who hate and want to hurt good, innocent people.  I know there are going to be political extremists spewing rhetoric that some people will latch onto.  But it seems this deranged individual and the cancerous rhetoric heard on FOX News and tea party politicians were a perfect recipe for disaster.  And now a congresswoman is fighting for her life and her future, an innocent nine year old is dead, and four other individuals just stopping by are dead.  Maybe if there were no Sarah Palin's, Glenn Becks, or Rush Limbaugh's out there this tragedy still would have happened.  But it does seem like the top was about to blow on this country's pressure cooker.  Now in the wake of such tragedy comes our real test as Americans.  Can the debate on the direction of our country finally result in civilized discourse?  Can we put aside some of our political posturing and look into the eyes of all Americans- young, old, poor, middle class, gay, straight, whatever, and just agree to not to be so hateful.  I think there is a growing restlessness in this country that is fed up of the hate, the incivility, and the lack of humility plaguing our country.