A Disgusting Display

My God...

As I write this I'm watching the so-called "Memorial Service" in Arizona.

Prior to President Obama walking out on stage, while the talking heads were talking a separate video feed was running on my screen showing the "mourners" - many of whom were laughing and joking... many of whom were dressed inappropriately... and what I especially can't get out of my head is watching that piece of garbage Sheriff Dupnik actually posing with people who wanted photos with him... glad-handing as if he were at a political function.

Disgusting...

But then again, this being the Age of Obama, this "memorial" apparently is a political rally, not a dignified demonstration of mourning.

The "blessing" is being given by an individual who introduced himself in part by somewhat wryly noting that he is not a "medicine man."

As he gives his speech - identifying his ethnic background - something I'm not really "getting" as being relevant to a memorial ceremony - many in the crowd cheer and whistle as if they were attending a sporting event or perhaps a concert... or perhaps a political rally...

My God... I simply can't believe what I'm watching.

O.K., now as I watch Gov. Brewer speak while the split screen also focusing on President Obama, I can't help but notice that there's a gentleman behind the president apparently half-listening while also concentrating on his lap... perhaps involved with his blackberry or IPhone.

Now Napolitano is speaking... she's quoting from Scripture which I find very appropriate indeed... but to those who are also watching live - did you notice how she was introduced... the background screams of "We Love You" as if this "memorial" were a rock concert?

Again, folks... my point... this is part political rally, part pep rally... not what I would have ever in a million years envisioned.

Now Eric Holder is up. Now Holder is reading from Scripture. Respect is one thing, but since these people are being introduced as politicians - as government officials - two public officials in a row reading Scripture whereas neither a Rabbi nor Reverend was chosen to give the opening blessing... it just strikes me as strange.

Now the "Master of Ceremonies" is introducing President Obama... lauding his intellect... this "memorial" gets stranger and stranger.

From the crowd more shouts of "We love you!" More yells and "woos!" Very, very, very disconcerting - to me at least.

Oh... and now President Obama is reading Scripture...

This all seems so fake... so contrived... so political... so insincere. Let me ask you... if 8:00 p.m. is the appropriate hour for honoring the victims of the Arizona shooting... why not 8:00 p.m. Arizona time - why 8:00 p.m. eastern standard time...??? I understand that sporting events must be shoeboxed in to a convenient TV "window," but would it not have been more respectful to the victims and especially their families to have had the memorial at say 8:00 a.m. Arizona time, or 12:00 p.m. Arizona time, or 8:00 p.m. Arizona time? I would think so.

Believe me, folks, I'm not trying to be petty, I'm not looking for a reason to be critical; it's simply that this whole exercise just seems so... off... to me.

Now President Obama is speaking of the little girl who was killed - 9-year old Christina Taylor Green. The thing is... the President is still in "rally" mode... I see no grief - either from the President or from the crowd.

This is bizarre. I'm a New Yorker. I remember how New York was for weeks and weeks after 9/11. Oh, yes, sure... there was the "Tribute to Heroes" concert held on September 21, 2001... look at that concert... the grief was still up front - from the bands, from the audience - along with the letting go of some of the grief as people enjoyed that concert. Still... today's "memorial" in Tucson is not supposed to be the equivalent of the New York concert... today's "memorial" is supposed to be... a memorial.

This is "Campaign Obama" I'm watching. There's no other way to put it. Remember President Reagan's funeral... remember the speeches... recall various presidential speeches following national tragedies... to those of you watching this, does this seem of a kind to you...???

I'm going to close now... close while the president is still speaking.

Some may disagree with my reaction. Some may react differently. So be it. I'm simply reporting in real time what I'm feeling.

May God bless the victims, their families, and their friends and loved ones.