President Obama's speech at the memorial for victims of the Tucson shooting rampage is receiving high praise from supporters and opponents alike. One of the emotional high points came when he revealed that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had opened her eyes for the first time earlier that day, and touched her nose and gave a "thumbs up" sign. Doctors treating her expressed amazement at her incredibly rapid progress.
The other emotional high point was when the President spoke of how best to honor the dead and wounded: to reflect on our level of discourse which has allowed images of violence and gun play to seep in, and to "do better." "How we treat each other," the President said, "is entirely up to us." Referring to the 9-year old victim Christina Taylor Green, Obama said to growing applause,
"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."His words may not change some of the hardened attitudes of his most bitter opponents, but it showed the nation that we are led by a good man trying to do the right thing. . .as our children would expect.
(photo: UPI)
