Obama's speech? Well, we all need to give credit for a few well chosen words.

We must warn our readership: this post will not be the typical rant against the Novice in our White House, not at all. Last night, Barack Obama gave a speech at a memorial for the living and the dead, as a result of the Tucson shootings.

The student body in attendance thought they were attending a political rally and acted like it, screaming, whooping it up, cheering on the Head of State . . . . . . acting like the thoughtless, animal house, boobs we except them to be.

And Obama? He did not fall for it. Bill Clinton would have responded like the narcissistic character we all know him to be; not the case with Obama. In fact, Obama, at times, almost look frustrated. He maintained the rhetorical seriousness of the moment, even in the handshaking that followed the on-stage event.

Rather than analyze the speech to death, we present our choices as to the high points of the speech, itself. We are fiercely opposed to this man's presidency. Our opinion of his collectivist views have not changed. But, the Tucson speech will be remembered as one of the great speeches in American history.

Here are those portions of Obama's memorial speech we found most important:

You see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations - to try to impose some order on the chaos, and make sense out of that which seems senseless. Already we've seen a national conversation commence, not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health systems. Much of this process, of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future, is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government.

Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, "when I looked for light, then came darkness." Bad things happen, and we must guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.

But what we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.

After all, that's what most of us do when we lose someone in our family - especially if the loss is unexpected. We're shaken from our routines, and forced to look inward. We reflect on the past. Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in awhile but every single day?

So sudden loss causes us to look backward - but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. . . . . .

If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let's make sure it's worthy of those we have lost. Let's make sure it's not on the usual plane of politics and point scoring and pettiness that drifts away with the next news cycle.

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 -- and it did not --- 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.

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.

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And there you have it, our offering from Obama's memorial speech. When he could have joined in on the partisan blather of the past several days, he did not. In fact, he doubled down on his belief that "it was not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy" by adding "and it did not" to the speech. We have inserted his words, taken from the actual televised presentation. That brief four word addendum was not a part of the written text. Obama added those words, for the sake of emphasis, as he spoke from his prepared speech. Will his socialists buds in the media and in the halls of congress take his cue? Probably not. But we give Obama credit for making the statement and presenting a very effective speech at a time when such in demand.

Point of post: to give credit where credit is due. We will get back to the rant tomorrow.
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