. . .we can't rightly, deliberately, orchestrate flashpoints and catalysts to bring about transformational change. But we certainly can step up to these tragedies and calamitous events like this one and try and rend something productive, good, and lasting out of them.

"Let this action by these young people in Ferguson MO bear fruit not only in their own community but throughout the nation," you wrote.

That's as profound and important as anything that's been said or written in the past few tumultuous days. We can scarcely hope to repair the lives and pain, but we can certainly hope that there is a spark out of it which ignites a movement across the nation for positive action.

Thank you so much for stating that so clearly.