But it was the last five minutes that had me wiping away a tear or three.
The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better in our private lives - to be better friends and neighbors, co-workers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher in more civility in our public discourse, let's remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy, but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to our challenges as a nation, in a way that would make them proud. It should be because we want to live up to the example of public servants like John Roll and Gabby Giffords, who knew first and foremost that we are all Americans, and that we can question each other's ideas without questioning each other's love of country, and that our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American dream to future generations.
I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved lives here - they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.
That's what I believe, in part because that's what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed. Imagine: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that someday she too might play a part in shaping her nation's future. She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.
I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. All of us - we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations.
Spoken like a father of two girls about 9 years of age, and like a President of the United States. As cynical and as jaded as I can be about politics, I am reminded that there are much greater things out there to believe in, and America is sure as hell one of them. What a truly moving and powerful speech -- just what the country needed.
An America as good as Christina Taylor Green imagined it. Amen to that.
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15 comments:
I had no idea this was an Obama campaign event. I thought it was a memorial service.
Governor Brewer said in five minutes what it took Obama 40 to say but only Fox covered her speech. How odd. It's like the lefty media only cared about what the Democrat had to say.
Nice of the President to monopolize the night and make it about himself and what he wants for America rather than about the victims. He spoke as much as everyone else combined, but of course the night wasn't about him, no.
Just what we needed last night, a Narcissist-in-Chief...and the saps worshiping him for doing it.
Every cult of personality needs a priest, eh Z?
Oh No!
Yeah, that civility lasted what, ten minutes?
Look at the speech passage you quoted.
"I believe... they help me believe...I know...I believe...
That's that I believe...
I want us...I want..."
But the night wasn't about Obama with the eyes of the nation on him and well if you point that out that a President with struggling poll numbers was completely exploiting the tragedy for political gain, as it always has been and will be about Obama the Narcissist-in-Chief, you're a bigot or worse a RAAAAAAAAAACIST.
Maybe you're too brainwashed to see the language in Obama's speeches. Maybe you're just not smart enough to notice. Believe me when I say the rest of us are.
Compare Obama's narcissism to Daniel Hernandez taking just a few minutes to humbly reject being a hero last night. That's what the President should have done, kept it short and simple and shut up, because the nation doesn't want to hear from him anyway.
Instead he gave a 40 minute campaign speech.
If Bush had done the same thing, you'd have been the first to criticize it too.
The only person who has less of a right than you to lecture me about civility is Obama there.
So take your indignation and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine.
I didn't see it or read all of the transcript. But from what I can tell, it was an excellent speech.
But speech itself isn't everything. It has to be backed up with action, good action. In a blog post on Palin's speech, I mentioned that I hoped Obama could deliver something as good as hers; it appears he didn't disappoint.
Just as a side note, I thought Palin's speech was excellent. Unlike Obama, she had to include a stern rebuke to those who tried to tie her to the crimes, or indicated her words and actions somehow led to them. Even Obama stated categorically that this was the case without having to name names. With all I've seen and heard, no serious person, not even Limbaugh or Palin, blamed Obama or tried to tie Obama for any of the murders, nor should there have been any (the very, very few who might are the kooks and not believed anyway; take that as a not-so-subtle hint, ZCP).
My point is if Zandar wants to blame Loughner on the right, then the left has shown itself to be far more blame-worthy, not that Obama is guilty.
The theory that "eliminationist rhetoric" caused this is all Zandar and the left. All I am saying is that if this is true (and you've said so yourself Steve) then liberals are more deserving of that blame.
Note that conservatives have been blaming the man who pulled the trigger, not Sarah Palin, not Rush Limbaugh, not Sean Hannity, not Glenn Beck, not George W. Bush.
Palin's speech showed leadership. Obama's speech showed narcissism.
ZCP, I agree with most of what you say, and the left's attempt to spin this has been an outrage. Especially when they call for calm while keeping up with their spin; to me, it's hugely hypocritical. There is no reason for conservatives to accept the left's premise on those grounds, and I don't. Emphatically.
But because Obama is on the left, that doesn't mean he didn't give a good speech last night. As I mentioned, it didn't appear to be narcissistic and hit all the right tones. That's good, but he still needs to follow up those words; the speech isn't all there is. It isn't as if I haven't criticized his speeches before. Most of those speeches Obama gave that people have praised I thought were horrible and terribly narcissistic. For all we know, Obama may ignore the words he gave (he's done it before) with future actions. For all we know, this may be the best speech he ever gives, in which case it'll be too bad. But this particular speech was good. I have to disagree with you.
I thought it was too political, he blamed the "news cycle" at least once and it was too long.
But we'll just have to differ on that...
Gosh Zandar, what do you have to say?
"Governor Brewer said in five minutes what it took Obama 40 to say but only Fox covered her speech. How odd. It's like the lefty media only cared about what the Democrat had to say."
MSNBC carried the entire event live and without any comment or commercial interruption. I saw Jan Brewer's excellent speech there.
ZCP has a credibility problem of his own, and should now commit sockpuppet seppuku and disappear.
Still waiting for anyone to respond to the valid criticisms here.
You know since Zandar's trying to "tone it down" and all...
A proven liar and a fraud doesn't get to demand answers from his moral superiors.
Go away.
man. zcp and steve are hilarious. the palin speech was excellent? really? REALLY??!!!? comedy gold, i tells ya!
The trolls doth protest too much.
but only Fox covered her speech.
Wrong. I saw Brewer's speech on MSNBC.
Most people wuold just have said "I didn't think Obama's speech was good at all - it was too long and didn't talk about stuff I thought was important.' See? That's pretty basic, and has the clarity of an honest opinion.
Of course, Problem, like many Folk of the Bitter Leaf, has decided that every flaw is not only a personal affront to him, but also a sign of a darker conspiracy. So, Obama is not only a blowhard, but leads a massive cult of personaility which we liberals are bound to by oaths solemn and profane.
How he must shiver in his bunker [mobile home/basement/cushion fort], waiting for ACORN to deprive him of his essence. He must, because if he truly believed this, it would be monstrous, and it would Demand Action! From! True! Patriots! Wolverines! And he'll be right behind them! When he gets the memo.
But, he doesn't - he just really likes to hate Obama, and chose a rather excellent speech of his on something that is a pretty touchy subject for conservatives right now to get all snippy about, rather than wonder if maybe he has a point.
Whatever, free country. Just don't expect us to take it seriously when it's obvious you don't.
I still want my Soros check, dammit.
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