Barack Obama, in an open letter to Parkland survivors:
“America’s response to mass shootings has long followed a predictable pattern. We mourn. Offer thoughts and prayers. Speculate about the motives. And then—even as no developed country endures a homicide rate like ours, a difference explained largely by pervasive accessibility to guns; even as the majority of gun owners support commonsense reforms—the political debate spirals into acrimony and paralysis. This time, something different is happening. This time, our children are calling us to account. The Parkland, Florida, students don’t have the kind of lobbyists or big budgets for attack ads that their opponents do. Most of them can’t even vote yet. But they have the power so often inherent in youth: to see the world anew; to reject the old constraints, outdated conventions and cowardice too often dressed up as wisdom.The power to insist that America can be better.
Seared by memories of seeing their friends murdered at a place they believed to be safe, these young leaders don’t intimidate easily. They see the NRA and its allies—whether mealymouthed politicians or mendacious commentators peddling conspiracy theories—as mere shills for those who make money selling weapons of war to whoever can pay. They’re as comfortable speaking truth to power as they are dismissive of platitudes and punditry. And they live to mobilize their peers. Already, they’ve had some success persuading statehouses and some of the biggest gun retailers to change. Now it gets harder. A Republican Congress remains unmoved. NRA scare tactics still sway much of the country. Progress will be slow and frustrating.
But by bearing witness to carnage, by asking tough questions and demanding real answers, the Parkland students are shaking us out of our complacency. The NRA’s favored candidates are starting to fear they might lose. Law-abiding gun owners are starting to speak out. As these young leaders make common cause with African Americans and Latinos—the disproportionate victims of gun violence—and reach voting age, the possibilities of meaningful change will steadily grow.
Our history is defined by the youthful push to make America more just, more compassionate, more equal under the law. This generation—of Parkland, of Dreamers, of Black Lives Matter—embraces that duty. If they make their elders uncomfortable, that’s how it should be. Our kids now show us what we’ve told them America is all about, even if we haven’t always believed it ourselves: that our future isn’t written for us, but by us.”
This is how a president talks …
Sadly, our current Liar-In-Thief is too busy sucking Wayne LaPierre’s dick.
|
Janelle Monae is such a pretty little thing. I loved her in Hidden Figures. If she wants to have sex with pans, that's purely her business!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't read His Royal Orange Batcrap's rant because I hear his voice even when written. Just no. I hear Obama's voice too, but his is very pleasant and he is class personified.
I want to kiss Adam Rippon's forehead and pinch his little behind. Is that so wrong?
Hannity, the talking thumb, ICK!
"Seriously, every time ____ opens his mouth a lie falls out." - no, it's turds!
ReplyDeleteI could listen to obama read the phone book. the dump...HELL NO! the difference between a REAL LEADER and an ASSTWAT is glaring.
Stephen Colbert did a great riff last night on Trump's call-in to "Fox & Friends." And I'm so glad to read that Janelle Monae FINALLY came out!
ReplyDeleteFinally! Friday! What a week :-)
ReplyDeleteSo Hannity invested in a HUD programme just to help the poor? Really? So Mr Hannity do your tenants pay real low rents? Or have they all been moved out to allow you to make real money out of your properties?
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I can never get enough of listening to President Obama speak. What a class act. His wife, too. Another class act.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear me, Sean H sounds a bit flummoxed... And the Idiot Jerk... AM is wrong, every time he opens his mouth diarrhea shoots out. So... does this mean Mick Mulvaney turns tricks for money?
ReplyDelete