Tragedy in Tucson

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Jan 10, 2011

Christina-Taylor Green was born on Sept. 11, 2001. Yes, that 9/11. On Saturday, she was a visitor to the Safeway store in Tucson, Ariz., where Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot by a crazed gunman.

The bookends to Christina’s life were tragedy, but the years in between were filled with service, success and joy. And, it appears from recorded interviews, Christina-Taylor was blessed with two incredible parents.

Christina’s life was stolen from her by a madman, who open fire at Giffords public forum, “Congress on the Corner,” at a grocery store as she sought input from her constituency in southern Arizona. The little third grader only wanted a closer look at her congresswoman, and the opportunity to learn more about one of life’s paths -- service to country.

“The only this is, as a family, we wish we had a chance to be with her, and support her, and be with her while she was down,” said her father, John Green.

Christina knew the difference between right and wrong and very much wanted to do her part to make things right in the world. She has recently been elected to serve as a member of the student council at Mesa Verde Elementary School in Tucson. Her death is a price that a free society will have to bear.

“In a free society, we are going to be subjected to people like this,” Green said. “I prefer this to the alternative.”

Christina was proud to have been one of the babies born on 9/11 as is featured in a book titled “Faces of Hope.”

“I just want her memory to live on because she was a face of hope, a face of change, a face of us coming together as a country to stop the violence and hatred and the evil words,” said her mother, Roxanna Green.

Christina was an uncommon hero. Her goals should be our hopes -- to make this world a safer place -- and for people to get involved in the public forum and make our nation a better place.