Daniel Hernandez had been U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ intern for five days when she was shot Saturday outside Tucson.I had an incredibly strong emotional reaction reading this. Anger. Sorrow. But a lot of anger. For reference, here is a picture of Hernandez:
The junior at the University of Arizona was helping check people in at the “Congress on Your Corner” event when he heard gunfire. He was about 30 feet from the congresswoman. When the shots began, he ran toward them.
[...]
Using his hand, Hernandez applied pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap, holding her upright against him so she wouldn’t choke on her own blood. Giffords was conscious, but quiet.
Ron Barber, Giffords’ district director, was next to her. Hernandez told a bystander how to apply pressure to one of Barber’s wounds.
Barber told Hernandez, “Make sure you stay with Gabby. Make sure you help Gabby.”
Hernandez used his hand to apply pressure until someone from inside Safeway brought him clean smocks from the meat department. He used them to apply pressure on the entrance wound, unaware there was an exit wound. He never let go of her.
[...]
The fact that Hernandez was nearby and able to react quickly probably saved Giffords’ life, said state Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson, and a hospital physician. He talked to Hernandez at the hospital after the shooting.
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| Photo description: Hernandez (a young tall, fat, Latino man with glasses) and Giffords (a middle aged white woman whose face is covered with a white cloth and blood). Giffords is on a stretcher and Hernandez is holding her hand. |
Reading this Latino surname over and over again, and then looking at his picture… “This is in Arizona” kept coming to my head.
This is a body that the kyriarchally empowered majority of Arizona would love to be rid of (on more than one level).
A body that Arizona has literally criminalized.
This hero.
If that majority had their way, he wouldn't have even been there.
His is a body they say doesn’t belong, isn’t good enough to live in Arizona (or, let's be honest, in the U.S. for a lot of people).
His is a body, a fat, Brown, gay, body that isn’t “American”. And we know many think that, because even children raised here aren't "American" enough to stay if their parents brought them here undocumented, right?
This hero.
All of those narratives (and more) are in this, for me.
And it just makes me want to cry with rage.
