That was an absolutely beautiful speech.

[proud2BlibKansan]

Thank you Mr. President.

[Autumn]

1. I was in tears

it was wonderful.

[tilsammans]

2. When a link is available, please post it

For those of us who couldn't tune in. Thanks!

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. I'm sure it will be posted.

It was really beautiful. And the audience was completely silent. That was amazing.

[Chico Man]

11. Not totally silent

There was sobbing in the background

[Hekate]

34. Silence - sobs - and a standing ovation

Gods bless those heartbroken people. And may this country -- especially the Congress -- finally finally do something intelligent about this evil.

Hekate

[Tx4obama]

10. Here's a video link below

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/101786813

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. K and R with pride and in tears...

[skeewee08]

4. Yes it was......

K&R

[Siwsan]

5. I am running out of tissues

That was an amazing speech. You could tell it came straight from his heart.

[MindMover]

6. God called them home ...

[Laochtine]

8. I know this will be unpopular

but couldn't god have called the nut case home before he killed everyone else.

Or should we realize that we as humans must take care of the disturbed ones and protect everyone
around us, that our welfare depends on everyone caring for each other and not be selfish.

[MindMover]

12. I was quoting the President ... and I agree with your summation ...

the reason he turned the gun on others is because he externalized his hopeless, helpless feelings and took that hostility out on the people around him and his mother ...

[Laochtine]

16. I know, I'm glad he made the speech

And hope reforms are brought to both guns and mental heath. The social contract IMO is a lot deeper than a religion.

[pnwmom]

14. Then people would be puppets without free will. nt

[Laochtine]

17. So the gunman's freewill

trumps the executed? Is your god even needed in this equation? Do prayers effect freewill, if not why pray. Your god seems
very sadistic, feeding on the hope that will never be.

[NYC Liberal]

37. Not really.

What about his car breaking down on the way to school? Or the gun not firing? etc. Supposedly god does such things all the time.

[roody]

46. My hope is that he had to soften

them up with god talk since we are going to have some meaningful gun control.

[agracie]

58. Yep. n/t

[Laochtine]

63. He/she does fear

Iron chariots

[Atypical Liberal]

57. I have veen thinking this also. I resent being asked to pray to a god.

I resent being asked to pray to this idea of a god who is supposed to be powerful enough to "give strength" to the hundreds of people affected by this man but who lacked either the ability or the compassion to take strength away from the shooter.

And I'm mad that people think that by praying they have done something productive to help the situation.

[zuzu98]

59. thank you for daying this

It is exactly how I feel but have been unable to articulate.

[skepticscott]

23. Yes, of course..the slaughter of innocent children

is all part of "god's plan" and delusional people are just supposed to accept that.

How sickening. And even worse that the president would say it. But half of his speech was a handjob for the religious right and the teabaggers.

[MindMover]

25. We all can't be as pragmatically simple minded as you are ... now can we ...

Last edited Tue Dec 18, 2012, 03:58 PM - Edit history (1)

some of us have what we have worked very hard to acquire over millions of years .... we call them emotions ....

and anyway, who said it was "God's plan" YOU DID

[skepticscott]

26. If your implication is

that I have none in this case, sorry..fail. And if there's any simple-mindedness apparent, it's yours.

Now would you care to discuss facts, or just emote and think that addresses and solves everything?

[mac56]

29. Too soon.

[MindMover]

31. Exactly, way too soon ...

[NYC Liberal]

39. Tonight? Yes, for one night I personally WOULD like to just "emote" as we remember

the victims of this tragedy. Sometimes we need to take a few minutes to step away from the policy debates that inevitably surround an event like this and mourn the lives lost.

[Chorophyll]

36. You have got to be kidding me.

How would YOU have spoken to the people of this community tonight?

[skepticscott]

43. I certainly wouldn't

have blamed god for what happened. Or invoked him at every conceivable opportunity. But I suppose Obama had no choice. No politician can function in public in this country without making regular homage to the almighty of the Bible, and it would be political suicide to stand up there and wonder why any god worth worshipping, any god as kind and loving and merciful as the one Obama purported to be be talking about, would have inflicted such grief and suffering, or allowed it to occur.

[Chorophyll]

44. You know, I'm not a religious person.

But your agenda can wait a few days.

[Myrina]

55. Agree.

I found myself pretty disturbed by most of the event.
And some of it almost seemed cult-like in the 'chant-response' aspects.

[skepticscott]

60. I was more than a bit disturbed too

but apparently we are in the minority.

[roody]

45. Pres O could have lightened up on the god

bs after a couple of mentions. God did not kill the kids.

[CherokeeDem]

7. Our President ....

is a truly compassionate and courageous man. He gave an amazing speech and demonstrated the courage to do something to prevent future carnage.

[ThePhilosopher04]

13. Only one person on earth could have given that speech.

that is all.

[YvonneCa]

15. Finally we have a President...

...with the courage to do what's right for children. I am so grateful he is taking on the violence issue...and the NRA. Teachers at Sandy Hook School showed great courage. How could the rest of us do any less? Thank you, President Obama!

[GoldenOldie]

19. 'It does take a village.

I am truly thankful that my two daughters had the caring input and love of the grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends, neighbors. With all of their support and caring of my children, and yes, telling them when their actions were unacceptable, they have grown into adulthood, with a deep compassion and interest in others who may be different than themselves. This has only come about, from knowing all those they encountered that were different from their parents. For us as their parents, we welcomed and truly listened to all of their input on their understanding of our children. Each and everyone of them who helped in the growth of our daughters has left an indelible imprints in the hearts of our children. As a parent I feel blessed for now my adult children have grandchildren of their own, it has all passed down. I have learned through my childhood and my children's, that the more opportunities you give to your children to learn about individual personalities, religions, etc., the more your children will learn to understand, and appreciate the differences.

[YvonneCa]

47. Eloquently...

...stated. My sentiments exactly. It DOES 'Take a Village.'

[skepticscott]

27. Sorry, but don't kid yourself

He won't be taking on anything. If he could, ask yourself why he waited until the fourth slaughter under his administration to do so.

[mac56]

28. You are an effective advocate for your point of view.

[skepticscott]

42. Sorry, I've seen this same dance too many times

Big shooting incident, lots of people dead, media feeding frenzy, all of the pre-programmed reactions from the grief industry, endless hand-wringing by pundits and politicians, endless posts here with all variations on "this insanity must stop" and "we have to stand up to the gun nuts", etc., and then after a few weeks, everyone's attention shifts back to American Idol, or Dancing With the Stars or whatever.

Expect nothing different this time. Really.

[YvonneCa]

48. I disagree. Something is very different...

...this time. Sorry you have lost hope. I have NOT.

[skepticscott]

53. Maybe Obama even thinks so

but that doesn't change the fact that he's acting out of political expediency and convenience rather than personal courage. As pointed out, if it were the latter, he would have acted after the first slaughter, not the fourth. It also doesn't change the fact that there is no long-term political traction for the type of gun restrictions that would make any difference, and no long-term concern by the pop-culture addled public. In a few months, we'll be back to the status quo. Maybe a little more hot air in Congress first, but no meaningful changes.

[YvonneCa]

54. Again, I disagree. President Obama IS...

...a very smart politician. In 2009, after the first shooting on his watch, I think he made a call (as PRESIDENT) that the economic crisis /health care costs took precedence over confronting the NRA. He put the economy first, probably because the politician in him saw that confronting the NRA and 2nd Amendment issues at that time would ruin the chance to stabilize our economy.

That fight was tough. I think he made the correct call.

Now, since the other crises have occurred and the debate has had time (sadly) to grow, the politics is right...risky, dangerous and challenging...but right.

I believe the President has always known what was right to fix this issue...but that he wants to be sure the effort will succeed. The sad thing about what happened at Newtown is that the overwhelming sadness of the country about what happened is EXACTLY what will propel us to legislative success. JMHO. I think the President demonstrates great courage in doing this.

HOPE, skeptiscott...

[bluemarkers]

18. 3 family friends rwnjs hated it

said it was too political....

Gawd

[GoldenOldie]

20. Those who listen, but do not hear!

How sad, they have closed minds and hearts. They had already decided that no matter what Obama said, they would find it "political." Or, to the point, he is a Black man, a "liberal," and unworthy of their acceptance. In other words, they are total fools.......they only are capable of accepting words of the Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reillys.....who are only out to fill their pockets and could care less about anyone other than themselves and use the "fools," who buy into the "it's to political."

[bluemarkers]

22. they are the meanest people

told me I was a fool for voting for Obama. Hate the ACA blah blah blah

They are the one who are foolish, because their hatred has blinded them.

[ginnyinWI]

32. I feel kind of sorry for those people who don't see Obama's greatness.

A little bit sorry anyway.

[YvonneCa]

49. It was a little bit political, but COURAGEOUSLY...

...so. RW uses that as an excuse to not fix the problem. It works for them...and the NRA. President Obama is taking huge risks by doing this. I think he is choosing courage, and I completely support him.

[Joe the Progressive]

21. Here, here!

The President excels in these situations, which unfortunately he has had to do too many times. I clouded up when he read the children's names.

Sleep in heavenly peace little ones.

[Uncle Joe]

24. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, proud2BlibKansan.

[ginnyinWI]

30. One of our greatest Presidents.

I sat in awe; I could not move. He expressed every thought and feeling the sensitive among us have been feeling. Thank you, Mr. President, thank you.

[YvonneCa]

51. Me, too, ginnyinWI...

...

[Hekate]

33. It was extremely hard and extremely gutsy

It was extremely hard and extremely gutsy

It was like watching someone walk a tightrope with no safety net. I say it again: God bless the man.

We better have his back tomorrow and all the tomorrows, because there are those who will be gunning for him in every sense of the word.

Hekate

[YvonneCa]

50. Yes. He is making a courageous choice. n/t

[Neutrino_603]

35. Absolutely

kick...

[NYC Liberal]

38. K&R I agree 100%.

[loyalsister]

40. President Obama listens

I think he may have read this piece from the NY Times. And picked up a theme of responsibility... personal, community, and national responsibility to the children in this country.

Why America Lets the Killings Continue

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/14/opinion/why-we-let-the-school-shootings-continue.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

Ending with this..

"More horrible still — to me at least — is the inevitable lament, “How could we have let this happen?”

It is a horrible question because the answer is so simple. Make it easy for people to get guns and things like this will happen.

Children will continue to pay for a freedom their elders enjoy."

[Gothmog]

41. It was a great speech

This was a very effective call for action.

[arcane1]

52. Kicking to watch later n/t

[cleanhippie]

56. It really was moving.

Except for the nonsensical god stuff and pandering to the religious, it was exactly what was needed.

[bluestate10]

61. Action is more important than words now.

I am and have been a big supporter of the President. But we need him to use all the power of his office to bring about rational policy on gun ownership and mental health care.

[Iggy]

62. You've Got to Be Kidding Me...

Was he channeling Rev. Wright?

His "God has called them home" was about as outrageous as it gets. Really?? The parents and families of these slaughtered children are supposed to believe this was God's will? God called them home at the hands of a deranged person who shot each child at least three times in the head? One child was shot ELEVEN times.

????

This is beyond astonishing to me.

VERY poor choice of words.