What a week it has been. Nothing but holding back tears when I read the news. Longtime sweethearts split apart, a little girl with hope in her eyes loses her life and heroes everywhere acting like the country-folk I know and love to show that sick gunmen and their fellow humans that goodness and bravery are born in the soul, not on the battlefield (to paraphrase Obama). At the center of it all, is a Congresswoman, who stood up to violence and continues to do so, in the face of a paranoid and confused young man.
President Obama gave a wonderful speech last night. I listened to it live and watched it again with my father. Both times, I found my sinuses moist and almost in tears. What got me was his talk of young Christina. Our children look up to us. They expect us to be all the things we once believed.
“On this day of mourning, it is important to concentrate on the victims of this horrible tragedy and to pay respects to those who are now forced to carry forward without them. Two couples who had spent so many years together, are both cut in half, one husband gave his life to defend his wife, a nine-year-old girl, with so much potential, has left her parents to wonder why, a respected Federal Judge, who simply came out to show support and meet with the people, was brutally assassinated, and many people who simply believed passionately about government, lost their lives, many more are lying in a hospital, including Rep. Giffords, who spoke out against violent rhetoric and worked to mend the wounds in Washington.
That is what is so disappointing about Palin’s statement. While I don’t agree with her at all, I thought she could at least wait till after the funeral to add herself to the victim’s list, at least not the day of the memorial. How very disrespectful, and sadly, many from her side have also used this opportunity to focus on themselves and their little demagogue careers.
The true answers as to “why” will come in time, though I have a feeling that the more important answers will come from “how”. For now, it’s time to focus on “what”, specifically in understanding the great sense of loss that has not only befallen our fellow citizens, our fellow humans, yet the conscious of our nation.
This is a time to pay our respects. Tomorrow, the healing can begin.”