Obama: Make shooting debate 'worthy of those we have lost'

[kpete]

Source: The Hill

Obama: Make shooting debate 'worthy of those we have lost'
By Sam Youngman - 01/12/11 09:04 PM ET

President Obama sought Wednesday night to unite the country after last week's shootings in Arizona, saying the country can not let the attack be "one more occasion to turn on one another."

The president called on the nation to transcend the heated rhetoric and blame-laying of both recent months and the days following the shooting as he sought to move the debate to higher ground.

"If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let’s make sure it’s worthy of those we have lost," Obama said. "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."

...............

"As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility," Obama said. "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."

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/137671-obama-make-shooting-debate-worthy-of-those-we-have-lost

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VIDEO:
http://www.oliverwillis.com/2011/01/12/video-president-obamas-speech-at-the-tucson-shooting-memorial/

[elias49]

1. Sweet! nt

[snappyturtle]

2. This call for civility will be very difficult for some of our countrymen and

I will enjoy watching them come into line.

[stray cat]

3. Make it true for any debate and we would be a much better country and people

[whatchamacallit]

4. Sweet sentiment, too bad the right won't honor that pledge 24 hours

I wish the president understood this.

[hlthe2b]

5. That was a tremendous line...

[FailureToCommunicate]

6. Sorry Mr President, but the only way our "hopes and dreams are bound together"

(with Republicans) is that they want to go through our pockets before dumping us in the ally.

Please stop hoping for bipartisan cooperation:
They ONLY want you-and America- to fail.

[mvd]

8. True, but I believe the sentiment tonight called for..

that kind of line.

[JDPriestly]

12. You may be right, FailureToCommunicate, but I hope that you

are wrong. Nothing personal, but I just wish that the folks on the right would be as ready to compromise and meet in peace as Obama is.

I know that thus far they have been impossible, and I have been the first to criticize Obama for operating under the illusion that compromise is possible.

But just maybe a few people will begin to understand we have to work together at least to the point that people don't get hurt or killed.

[FailureToCommunicate]

15. I wish I were wrong, really do. And I defer to your greater

willingness to look out for chances of cooperation. It seems to me -and many others- that the time for running to kick that football (the one Lucy is holding) is long past. "We" had the majority in congress and -with a few exceptions- squandered it in quests for bipartisanship. We used to think Pres Obama was playing 3D chess when making these baffling moves, but most have sadly come to the conclusion that it was checkers, and he is loosing.
But I admire your optimism. Unfortunately people are being "hurt and killed" daily all over the globe as a result of American (Obama's) policies and wars. My own optimism has a long black veil over it.

(PS like your Eleanor Roosevelt avatar. I was at the unveiling of the 'Roosevelt in a wheelchair' statue in DC a few year back.)

[mvd]

7. The President gave a marvelous speech

Very touching and definitely did justice to all the victims.

[robcon]

9. A terrific speech

truly presidential

[western mass]

10. Obama running interference for the RW (as usual)

You see, instead of exposing the fact that RW hate breeds terrorism, we need to shut up, smile, and pretend no one's to blame.

[sam kane]

14. +1 honestly.

She is the one who said that their words have consequences, so how about we honor the victim by repeating her words?

[JDPriestly]

11. Obama's speech was great. I hope it causes people on the right

to stop and think. Obama has offered them the peace pipe, now they have to pick it up and smoke it so to speak.

(And, no, I'm not advocating literally smoking, just figuratively smoking the peace pipe.)

[awoke_in_2003]

13. if we keep reaching out to the right...

we can expect to keep pulling back stumps. The words are nice and all- but the right is playing hardball. We never seem to get that.

[woo me with science]

16. This is a part we all need to hold onto. nt

[Uncle Joe]

17. That was a good speech.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.