In Memoriam

Our nation has suffered a senseless, unprovoked tragedy in Aurora, CO. We have lost our brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers and most tragically our sons and daughters. Our hearts goes out to their families and loved ones, friends, acquaintances and co-workers in this time of shock and grief.

Instead of politicizing this tragic events and giving a platform to a deranged, psychopathic individual, let's take this opportunity first and foremost to comfort the survivors and their families, and to strengthen what we cherish most in this country - our liberties and our resolve. Instead of clamping down and restricting our freedoms, let us take an example from our brothers in Norway: "Extremism will be met with more democracy". Let also take as a good example from a survivor of the tragedy, who shielded others with his body. He said that he wants to go back to the movie theater and say: "I beat you. You did not take this life".

These are prime examples of how we should react to any tragedy: Stand firm to our principles, stand our ground and declare that we may be down, but we will not be beaten, and in the process we will not compromise our ideals for anyone or anything. We are a nation that has withstood civil wars, world wars, great depressions, natural and man made disasters. We have survived these ordeals because of our principles and the strength that we have found in the diversity of our people. We must re-affirm our status as what Reagan famously stated: "a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere". Now is the time to comfort and give strength to those who are suffering, and to set the example for the world.

In closing, because Lincoln was one of our most gifted orators and leaders:

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."