Hoyer: Country Shares Pain and Hope with Aurora
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor today in support of H.Con.Res. 134, which condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous atrocities that occurred in Aurora, Colorado. Below are his remarks and a link to the video:
Click here to watch the video.
http://www.democraticwhip.gov/content/h ... ope-aurora
“I thank the Gentleman from Colorado [Rep. Perlmutter] who has been so involved and so eloquent in expressing the grief that his constituents share and all the members from Colorado on either side of the aisle who have come together to share this grief.
“Mr. Speaker, when tragedy of this kind strikes, our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones. In the aftermath of this shooting we have seen both an outpouring of love and support for victims and their families and the quickness to point out what might have been done differently. That is our nature as Americans: always seeking answers, searching for corrective action or a measure of logic in the irrational.
“The first question we ought to ask – and is already being asked – ‘how can we draw closer as a community?’ Not just the community of Aurora, but the community of Americans.
“As President Obama said on Friday – and I quote: ‘If there's anything to take away from this tragedy, it's the reminder that life is very fragile. …And what matters at the end of the day is not the small things. …Ultimately it's how we choose to treat one another and how we love one another.’
“I would add: it is also how we commit to live with one another as neighbors. We may not share the same faith or politics or philosophy, but we do share a fundamental belief that our people should feel safe in our theaters and malls and schools, in their homes and on the streets – wherever they go.
“Today we share the pain of the people of Aurora. But we also share in the hope that the city whose name is the dawn will find in our sympathy and prayers the comfort it needs during the dark hour to begin the process of healing and to believe again in a brighter tomorrow.”
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