Today, the nation grieves, but those of us who love Dallas and call it home have had five deaths in the family. Laura and I see members of law enforcement every day. We count them as our friends. And we know, like for every other American, that their courage is our protection and shield.
We’re proud [of] the men we mourn and the community that has rallied to honor them and support the wounded. Our mayor, and police chief and our police departments have been mighty inspirations for the rest of the nation.
These slain officers were the best among us. Lorne Ahrens, beloved husband to detective Katrina Ahrens and father of two. Michael Krol, caring son, brother, uncle, nephew and friend. Michael Smith, U.S. Army veteran, devoted husband and father of two.
Brent Thompson, Marine Corps vet, recently married. Patrick Zamarippa, U.S. Navy Reserve combat veteran, proud father and loyal Texas Rangers fan.
With their deaths, we have lost so much. We are grief stricken, heartbroken and forever grateful. Every officer has accepted a calling that sets them apart.
Most of us imagine if the moment called for, that we would risk our lives to protect a spouse or a child. Those wearing the uniform assume that risk for the safety of strangers. They and their families share the unspoken knowledge that each new day can bring new dangers.
But none of us were prepared, or could be prepared, for an ambush by hatred and malice. The shock of this evil still has not faded. At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates too quickly into de-humanization.
Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions. And this is…
And this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose. But Americans, I think, have a great advantage. To renew our unity, we only need to remember our values.
We have never been held together by blood or background. We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals.
At our best, we practice empathy, imagining ourselves in the lives and circumstances of others. This is the bridge across our nation’s deepest divisions.
And it is not merely a matter of tolerance, but of learning from the struggles and stories of our fellow citizens and finding our better selves in the process.
At our best, we honor the image of God we see in one another. We recognize that we are brothers and sisters, sharing the same brief moment on Earth and owing each other the loyalty of our shared humanity.
At our best, we know we have one country, one future, one destiny. We do not want the unity of grief, nor do we want the unity of fear. We want the unity of hope, affection and high purpose.
We know that the kind of just, humane country we want to build, that we have seen in our best dreams, is made possible when men and women in uniform stand guard. At their best, when they’re trained and trusted and accountable, they free us from fear.
The Apostle Paul said, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of strength and love and self-control.” Those are the best responses to fear in the life of our country and they’re the code of the peace officer.
Today, all of us feel a sense of loss, but not equally. I’d like to conclude with the word of the families, the spouses, and especially the children of the fallen. Your loved one’s time with you was too short. They did not get a chance to properly say goodbye. But they went where duty called. They defended us, even to the end. They finished well. We will not forget what they did for us.
Your loss is unfair. We cannot explain it. We can stand beside you and share your grief. And we can pray that God will comfort you with a hope deeper than sorrow and stronger than death.
May God bless you.
52 comments:
The GOP used to offer class and humility, but that's for losers and cuckservatives. Amirite? You gotta fight fire with fire!
I have a lot of problems with George W. Bush. I think it was on balance a pretty bad President. He was not a conservative. He is a member in good standing of the duopoly.
He did offer class. Also failure. He is a classy and humble failure. If that is what you are looking for bags then you should stick with the Bushes and Romney.
He is a loser. A classy loser.
It's time for something different.
You have to pick your spots. A funeral like this is not the place for politics. At least not Obamas pro criminal politics.
I think Trump's comments have been spot on. He is not going to kowtow to the Black Lives Matter criminals the way Bush would have.
It remains to be seen how effective he will be. But I want a change. Sorry if that upsets your delicate sensibilities.
Red Klotz was just about the classiest guy in basketball history. Just sayn'
Maybe that's where I'm missing it. I thought winning (2 terms) and a real war despite the Democrats and most of the world fighting your effort the whole time might make you a winner. Getting your ass kicked by a girl in a pantsuit while telling us how great you are - now that's a winner.
Obama had no right to be at that funeral. He's to blame for their murders.
GWB - he is a real president.
I don't know what you would call a tough talking guy who get his ass handed to him by the undisputed weakest and worst candidate in history, but "winner" is not what comes to mind. Good luck to him. We're gonna need it.
preznit racist self-absorbed Farrakhan asshole- me me me me me me me me me me me I I I I I me me me me me me me meeee
I wish our corrupt media and most of hollywood could end up in a grave.
I'd spit. and laugh. and sing for joy.
What needs to be dehumanized in the nation is the corrupt Clitnonopilos press.
Instead, we fight the fake wars spun out by our fake prez.
8 years of dicktitude from this failure is really wearing thin. I can't listen to a word he says anymore. I immediately turn him off. Hillary will be a 100 times worse. I bet if she wins, the whole country will support assisted suicide.
The second Hillary's voice is on - TV or radio - I turn it off. Her voice should be weaponized and used to kill ISIS.
Hey - I found a use for her!
Anyway - Bush delevered a touching and thoughtful eulogy. Those men died because of Obama, Holder, Farrakhan, the press, and people like reverend Wright.
I am glad that the election is already over and that Hillary has won. I know that is the fondest wish of the duopoly and the people that buy into that agenda like April and bags.
George Bush did not win anything. He made a good start but he spit the bit. He was more concerned with political correctness than destroying the terrorists. He didn't go far enough. Not anywhere far enough. He started the moderate Muslim bullshit. He allowed the untrammeled immigration that is destroying our economy.
911 was our Pearl Harbor. Even that socialist FDR didn't say "Hey we can't blame the Japanese people. There are a lot of moderate Japanese who didn't believe in attacking the white devils."
Bush bought into the neocon bullshit and wanted to nation build instead of destroying our enemies root and branch. He was too indebted to the filthy Saudi's. He was more invested in protecting them than destroying our enemies.
If you can't see that then I can't help you.
He did give a good and classy and appropriate speech. He is good at that.
He would have made a superb Vice President in charge of funerals and such.
A speech by a president who doesn't constantly refer to himself and blame Americans? Astonishing!
I tuned in long enough to hear Obullshit do the requisite bible quotin' and complain that he'd had to go to too many of "these things." So put upon, so weary of us. It must be inconvenient, going to police funerals. Takes away from Golf Time and Game of Thrones Time and Alone Time (no Michelle Allowed Time).
Dubya stood up for this country when it was attacked. Anything after that we can argue, but, on that score, he was a good man and didn't accept anything less than victory.
Trooper York said...
You have to pick your spots. A funeral like this is not the place for politics. At least not Obamas pro criminal politics.
Remember the Wellstone funeral?
Same thing.
It's all the eyes of the beholder Ritmo.
I stand behind what I say.
So does the Jug Eared Jesus no matter how nonsensical it might be.
I do admire his consistency though. He wants to cement his standing as the worst President in the history of our nation.
So positive race relations require that only one race's views are validated as legitimate. Got it.
I do admire his consistency though. He wants to cement his standing as the worst President in the history of our nation.
I wish I could admire the consistency of people who insist that experts must somehow always know less than they do.
Sorry ed but he accepted a lot less then "victory." He had a free hand after 911. Sure the Democrats would have balked at some point but they were basically cowed and afraid of the backlash. He missed the opportunity to do what really had to be done.
I think he was compromised by the Saudi connection myself. Why aren't those 28 pages that are still being kept secret being disseminated for us to see what really went on?
I think a lot will be made clear when they are out there. Maybe in another 100 years.
Bush gave a great speech. A beautiful speech, even. But it didn't touch everyone and couldn't touch everyone. Whoever wrote it for him has a nice pen.
They gave different speeches. There is more than just one view out there and insisting that one is wholly illegitimate and worthy of discrediting sounds like a way to keep going in circles.
Obama spoke about the different views that are out there. He didn't say one was more right or more wrong.
Obama is not divisive. Obama asks America why one view or another or a number feel it necessary to believe that they're always 100% right.
It's interesting to me that this drives so many people up a wall.
The fact is their views are wrong. Simple as that. Police are not "targeting" minorities. The problem is black on black crime. Period. The rest is a smokescreen to cover the poverty pimps and protect their rice bowl. We have to protect Al Sharptons gig and Charley Rangels Bahama vacation home. That is how the game is played.
That doesn't mean that there are not racist cops or the occasional miscarriage of justice. Of course there are. There always are. But it is all a smokescreen.
Just because pigs think they should fly doesn't mean that they don't live in shit. Facts are facts after all. The pigs can have a viewpoint all they want. So what? They are never gonna get airborne.
Obama is the Poverty Pimp in Chief. He has the biggest rice bowl of them all.
Anyway, not to get too harsh or beat a dead horse. I'm just saying that I can't understand the hatred at Obama and the resort to demeaning profanity to refer to him over this eulogy. I presume he was invited and I presume those inviting him knew that he'd be expected to address and correct the views of people who should be more charitable to the cops - especially those who think they're constantly victimized on account of their race.
The fact is their views are wrong. Simple as that. Police are not "targeting" minorities.
Interesting statement. Apparently there's actual research on this... by a black economist. I think his findings are worth looking at. They probably would have surprised him, in any event... and maybe you. No excessive use of force in shootings but good evidence of it in other cases. In other words, both sides (of this issue) are wrong and neither were completely correct.
The problem is black on black crime.
It may well be. But I'm not sure it's best to merge that with the issue of apprehension-related treatment as above.
Trooper York said...
Sorry ed but he accepted a lot less then "victory." He had a free hand after 911. Sure the Democrats would have balked at some point but they were basically cowed and afraid of the backlash. He missed the opportunity to do what really had to be done.
He won in Iraq and we were winning in A-stan. He had the crazies boxed in.
That seems pretty good to me.
Rhythm and Balls said...
Obama spoke about the different views that are out there. He didn't say one was more right or more wrong.
Obama is not divisive.
No, he gave a speech on why all cops are racists and murderers. He tried to couch it in the relativist nonsense of 40 years ago, but that's what it was.
I'm just saying that I can't understand the hatred at Obama and the resort to demeaning profanity to refer to him over this eulogy
Maybe because you agree with him and tend to hold the country in the same contempt he does
No, he gave a speech on why all cops are racists and murderers.
Lol. You amuse me ed to no end. I didn't listen to the whole thing, but would love it if you could provide this quote. You're a funny guy.
He tried to couch it in the relativist nonsense of 40 years ago, but that's what it was.
Oh, ok. So he used different language than what you just used. Maybe if you understood what he was saying instead of just hammering it into your prejudice of what he was saying than you'd actually refer to his own words to make your case.
"I'm just saying that I can't understand the hatred at Obama and the resort to demeaning profanity to refer to him over this eulogy"
Maybe because you agree with him and tend to hold the country in the same contempt he does
You make me chuckle, guffaw, smile. Maybe in the past I'd spit out my coffee. But nowadays I find your insistent confusion more and more amusing.
Some people don't have to lie about their country in order to love it, ed. It's sad that you don't get this. You remind me of parents whose obnoxious kids in school can't be told the truth about their horrible behavior - because they love them. Love shouldn't require lying. I guess some of us can tell the truth about things and not feel a need to whitewash it or gauze it over or even lie just because we are too afraid to confront any uncomfortable realities regarding the objects of our affections.
Aside from the insults, no real rebuttal.
What else is news?
There's a rebuttal in there ed (who accuses me of holding my country in contempt but apparently thinks that not an insult - as well as unfair, false bullshit).
You don't want to read. You want to believe what you want to believe. You make up your mind and then do your best to make sure the facts are twisted to fit into your strange funhouse mirror of a worldview.
Never change that, ed. Never let reality inform or affect your beliefs. You are a true believer and the world needs more of those. People too certain to actually look at - let alone love - the world (or their country) as it is.
As Dana Carvey said of Bill Clinton, "He's a good liar for our country." Only difference is - you're a real bad liar for your country. One of the worst.
Hopefully you can elect a president as divisive as the others to correct that. After all, you are the one who is at war with the views of at least half your country on most of the major issues of the day.
Yep. Between whenever ed read what I posted at 8:35 and his own posting at 8:37, he read the whole comment. Enough to evaluate that it was only an insult and contained no rebuttal.
A real honest guy, that ed.
If Rit means that, "Some people don't have to lie about their country in order to love it", we've been hearing that for 50 years.
Always out of the mouths of people who hate the country.
"We have never been held together by blood or background. We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals."
Actually we were held together by blood and background for a long, long time.
But I'm just nitpicking.
Whatever you say, ed.
Any honest national conversation about race would have to start with someone playing a film clip with Al Pacino saying to Black people:
The truth, the truth - You can't handle the truth.
Young black men commit crime way, way, out of proportion to their percentage of the population.
Until the Black community deals with that, nothing will change.
"911 was our Pearl Harbor. Even that socialist FDR didn't say "Hey we can't blame the Japanese people. There are a lot of moderate Japanese who didn't believe in attacking the white devils."
Haha.
Baghdad ed loves his country enough to lie about it.
Ritmo does his Alinsky.
Whoever that is.
People have always rebelled against injustice. Injustice has rules that aren't any fairer than your own accusations of emotional treason, or whatever it is you accused me of.
Unlike you, I actually read the things you and I write.
Injustice has rules?
Who knew?
Only from the mind of Ritmo.
It was irony, brainiac.
A failure to detect irony.
Only from the mind of ed.
It was so irony, it went over like a lead balloon.
Oh, ed. You're so close to being almost funny.
Actually that was kind of funny. But I'm pretty sure you'll interpret any compliment from me as a sign of "weakness" on my part.
You're very strategery-oriented.
Well, he won. That's good enough for me.
I don't agree with a lot of things W did, but he likes us and he doesn't mind showing it.
I know it's hard to get over Obama, Balls, but he's a creep and a self-absorbed liar.
For all Bush's faults, he was and remains a class act as a man.
In the speech President Obama delivered at the same memorial ceremony, Obama referred to himself 45 times.
Class really is a thing you're born with. Or not. It shows. In everything.
My lack of class shows in everything. I couldn't be constrained. Class is mostly constraint.
Upper middle class people trying too hard to be upper class people are the worst of the worst. They're fixated on rules. They tend to use rules that constrain their behavior to constrain everyone else's behavior. They tend to point out things to discomfort others and jostle for positioning. Actual upper class people are not that restrained. They're restrained in different ways.
One such nameless person, Gary West, oops, is such. He was chiding the waiter for serving on the wrong side. Very smug at the end of the table. I have feelz for service people and this was his second or third correction and I didn't like that and said so. Then the guy with the initials Gary West oops lorded over a discussion about manners being important.
I said manners are guides to correct for uncertainty, how to properly shake a man's hand removes uncertainty in social situation, and not meant as ironclad rules like "never put your elbows on the table" The guy whose name is not mentioned Gary West oops again, jerked his elbows from the table. I embarrassed him. He scanned the table, hoped nobody noticed. Because Gary West oops is a fee fie fo fum I smell the blood of middle class scum kind of guy. You'd hate him. Certainly.
There is a photo of LBJ campaigning yelling at people from a convertible automobile alongside Kennedy cringing. Photographic example of clash of class. vs no class. Yelling in public. It's not done. Kennedy had a lot to learn from Johnson about people.
Bush knows how to behave at funerals according to his position and class.
Obama knows how to behave at funerals according to his position and class.
May I ask, why did you watch? Did you watch? I don't understand why people watch when they know it's going to annoy them. This violates the "don't give energy to the things you don't like" cosmic certainty rule.
The people I follow on Twitter are strange this way. Like it's their job to stay informed and annoyed by watching firsthand. Many would go there and participate if they could.
For someone who has been utterly vilified in the most heinous ways possible Obama continues to show the world why he is deserving of such demonization and vilification and I wish him nothing but ill will, a curse on his entire craven existence, and I hope that on the day he dies, that it is filled with misery, pain, suffering, and eternal screaming on his downward journey into the lowest levels of hell as his soul is consumed by satan himself and eternally digested in his bowels.
GW shows us why even as a man with the faults of governance on some issues, he continues to be bright light in an ever increasingly dark world.
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