Sen. Kirk Calls for More Civil Rhetoric
BND.com reports:
COLLINSVILLE -- The shadow of the Arizona shooting lay over U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk's town-hall meeting Monday night in Collinsville, which attracted a nearly full crowd.
The event was organized by the newly elected Illinois Republican senator and U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville. Shimkus said they never considered canceling the event just two days after a young man shot 20 people at a similar event Saturday in Arizona, killing six and seriously wounding U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz.
But the impact could be seen in the room. Shimkus opened with a moment of silence, even as two Collinsville police officers and a state trooper watched over the crowd at the American Legion Hall on Vandalia.
Still, neither Shimkus nor Kirk believe there will be a significant change in the level of security provided, or sought, by members of Congress.
"Gabby (Giffords) was doing what we're doing here tonight," Shimkus said. "Meeting with constituents is part of the responsibility of being in the House of Representatives."
Kirk agreed.
"We don't need a Secret Service for members of Congress," he said.
Kirk said it would serve the nation well to tone down the level of rhetoric being thrown about the political arena: to choose language that is "a little more genteel," he said.
"This is an opportunity for us, not to agree, but agree to be more civil," he said.
