Like many Americans, I was moved to tears a few separate times during the broadcast of the Tucson memorial service last night. President Obama's words not only provided comfort in one of our nation's most tragic times, but also celebrated life and honored those who were senselessly taken from us. After days of hearing almost exclusively about the monster who unleashed his anger Saturday morning, we finally got to hear more about the innocent victims who were taken and the positive impact their lives had on us all. Our President stood and spoke with integrity. He chose not to politicize this incident but rather bring us together, urging us to reject the hate and vitriol in favor of real dialogue. "How we treat one another is entirely up to us," he said. "I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us."
But even as he was speaking these poignant words, the hate machine on the right was hard at work crafting their seething spin on not only his speech, but the entire night in general. In a vile act of cowardice, some pundits on the right have chosen to spit in the face of not only the families immediately affected by this tragedy, but every single person who was emotionally moved by the remembrance last night. They've chosen to completely ignore every word our President spoke about coming together, and instead have insisted on doing their damndest to bring us into the gutter. The same gutter they've been simmering in since their media darling, Sarah Palin, committed political suicide by not only trying to play the victim, but doing it in one of the most unconscionable ways imaginable.
Yes, these people are steaming mad, and nothing Barack Obama or the organizers of this remembrance could have said or done would have stopped them from belittling it all. Just have a look at conservative blowhard Michelle Malkin's immediate reactions:
"tonight at the memorial for the Tucson massacre victims, it will be a sea of blue as the White House unveils the “Together We Thrive” logo and slogan. Yes, the Tucson massacre is being branded."Attacking the shirts which were handed out as part of the ceremonies, to promote togetherness in the face of tragedy. Of course Malkin doesn't want people coming together, because that would be for the greater good of the country, and that surely doesn't fit with her hate-filled agenda. If you think I'm being harsh in calling her hateful, have a look at what else she had to say about the remembrance, and the traditional Native American blessing it received:
"Native American gives rambling speech while holding a feather ... He gives a shout-out to his son serving in Afghanistan. Brags about his ethnic Mexican background. Babbles about two-legged and four-legged creatures and the feminine energy that comes from Mother Earth."Carlos Gonzales came out and did as he was asked, in the traditional Native American way, and Malkin chooses to berate him for apparently not holding her short attention span. Real classy.
But it wasn't just Malkin who was quick to go on the attack. Glenn Beck's apocalyptic-inspired website "The Blaze" decided to lead with a headline about President Obama being called a "murderer," while the Tucson remembrance was reduced to side-column status. And yes, they chose to belittle Carlos Gonzales as well.
Meanwhile, political farce Andrew Breitbart had this to say about the President's speech:
"He let his coordinated minions make it about 'uncivil rhetoric' - so he could come in 4 days later as healer. 4 days too late, Mr President."Make no mistake about it - these people have nothing but hate running through their veins. They have no heart, and no respect for the families of the victims, or for our country. Unfortunately, I have a feeling this complete lack of respect will not be denounced but instead urged forward once the likes of Limbaugh, Beck and O'Reilly take to the airwaves today. Past precedence has shown us to expect nothing better.
We cannot let this type of spineless political discourse overshadow the fact that six people died on Saturday. The remembrance ceremony and the President's wonderful speech yesterday was only a first step in what will be a long process of healing. Today, we each have a choice to make. We can choose to move forward with positivity, together, for the sake of our children and our future. We can turn to the path of civil discourse and choose the building blocks of compromise, instead of the hate which blocks the building of trust in our communities. Or we can choose to play the victim from afar in a time of tragedy. To lower ourselves to the levels of mocking those of a different faith or nationality. To spit in the face of everything we claim to stand for.
I know which path I'm choosing.
