Arizona

As President Obama observed so effectively in Tucson last Wednesday, civil discussions of public policy at a time of great tragedy are an essential ingredient of democracy. While we may never know exactly what motivated last weekend's attack that resulted in six dead, "we cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. " One thing that has become clear is that the man accused of firing those shots in Tucson was seriously troubled and likely mentally ill. The warning signs surrounding Jared L. Loughner, from his bizarre behavior at Pima Community College to his disordered thinking revealed in notes and videos, seem glaring in retrospect.

Like the rest of the nation, Roslyn Brock was horrified to learn of the Jan. 8 shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz., that left six dead and 13 injured. And she joins the entire country in closely following the daily progress of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as she recovers from a gunshot wound to the head. But Brock, an Elkridge resident and chairwoman of the NAACP's national board of directors, has more than an average citizen's interest in the moving story of a public servant's life critically compromised by a lone gunman who opened fire at a meet-and-greet event.

Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim of the mass shooting that critically injured Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was born in Maryland a few hours after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A politically engaged 9-year-old, Christina-Taylor had recently been elected to the student council at her Tucson elementary school and wanted to meet Giffords, the Arizona Daily Star reported today. Her father, John Green, is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers and in the late 1990s was an amateur scout with the Baltimore Orioles.

Arizona Cardinals defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson was taken to a hospital after fainting before the game Saturday night against the Dallas Cowboys, the Associated Press reported. Henderson, a former Ravens assistant, fainted while driving down the ramp into the team's parking lot and then hit a cement post, but he was alert and conscious as he was taken to an area hospital. Henderson, 53, who was born in Baltimore, began his NFL coaching career with the Ravens in 1999 as the assistant defensive backs coach until being promoted in 2000 to coach defensive backs.

The Orioles knew all the drawbacks. Mark Reynolds batted just .198 last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has struck 200 times in each of the past three seasons, while no other player has done it once in the history of baseball. In 26 career games against American League East teams, including the Orioles, Reynolds is 10-for-67 (.149) with one homer, seven RBIs and 33 strikeouts. However, the Orioles ultimately decided that those inadequacies were well worth adding his power to the middle of their order, and Monday they acquired the slugging third baseman from the Diamondbacks for relievers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio.

NFL Former Terp Merriman's run with Chargers to end on IR The San Diego Chargers put outside linebacker Shawne Merriman , once one of the most feared players in the NFL, on the injured reserve list with a calf injury and a "minor-injury designation," meaning the former Maryland standout must be released once he's healthy. Technically, the Chargers could re-sign the controversial player. That almost certainly won't happen, though, because general manager A.J. Smith hasn't been a fan of Merriman's celebrity-leaning lifestyle.

State Rep. Pat McDonough stated in The Baltimore Sun ("Arizona's admirable law," July 18) that the Arizona immigration law is "nothing more" than a restatement of federal law. Of course, he is aware that the federal government has jurisdiction over areas that the states don't, and vice versa. And, of course, he fails to mention that inconvenient little sticking point. Knowing that, why would he intend to introduce such a law in the upcoming session, knowing that the Arizona law is being challenged?

The myths, misinformation and misleading rhetoric directed at Arizona's new immigration law are overwhelming. The Arizona law is nothing more than a duplication of portions of the existing federal Immigration Act, which has been in power for many years. However, that power has not been executed by numerous presidents, both Democrat and Republican. As a result, the states have had to enact their own legislation in order to protect citizens from the burdens created by illegal aliens. The federal Immigration Act has been challenged numerous times and found to be constitutionally sound.

I resent the time and effort being wasted by our local lawmakers and now our governor over the proposed Arizona immigration law. Your editorial ("Issue migrates from Arizona," July 13) fails to clarify the difference between immigration and illegal immigration. Arizona's law only relates to those in the country illegally. When the federal government won't do its job, and a situation becomes so bad, local authorities have to act. In May, the Baltimore City Council passed a resolution opposing Arizona's proposed law, and some council members wore buttons created specifically for the occasion.

The debate over  Arizona's mean-spirited (and probably unconstitutional) immigration law — and the Obama  Justice Department's lawsuit seeking to overturn it — is starting to hit home here in Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley will co-chair a National Governors Association panel on homeland security and public safety issues with none other than Gov. Janice K. Brewer of Arizona, champion of that state's new law that encourages police to check the immigration status of people they arrest.