Anyone remember solemnity anymore? I’m not sure we do.
Watching last night’s memorial for those gunned down in Arizona I couldn’t help but feel that that the nationally televised “memorial” had little to do with the victims of last week’s tragic shooting. All the news leading up to the event was about whether President Barack Obama could deliver a stirring speech (which he did.) The news itself made the event about Obama, politicizing it before it even began.
And then the actual memorial started with a politically correct blessing from Native American Carlos Gonzalez who received a loud cheer for saying he was Mexican on his mother’s side. Yay Mexico? What’s that about? But I think it was his big shout out to the University of Arizona that nearly brought the house down that made me roll my eyes for the first time. Shout outs? Really?
And that was only the beginning…
January 13, 2011 at 1:54 pm
I couldn't watch it, I changed the channel the moment I heard the manic cheers from the crowd. This was no solemn respectful memorial, this was a cross between a campaign rally and a pop festival. The blue & white slogan was only missing the Obama "O" symbol. They had T-shirts, and concession stands, and the crowd BOOED Governor Jan Brewer. Sick, tasteless, ghoulish and completely inappropriate.
January 13, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Anything and everything is an opportunity for idol worship.
January 13, 2011 at 2:25 pm
It was a rally for the president.
January 13, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Never let a crisis go to waste as the brazen opportunists say. This event used the coffins of the slain as a platform for a politician.
Ever since the Democrats have been clobbered by the people’s wrath, they started to repackage themselves and chant another mantra. Gone are the days of bulldozing the people’s will and sentiments. So, they put forth a charm offensive using muppets and melodrama.
I say they should have more respect for the dead and their relatives and not leveraged a tragedy for profile and profit.
January 13, 2011 at 3:19 pm
I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this rally was really tacky. It's a new low even for the Democrats, basically just a kickoff to Obama's 2012 campaign. The part that really creeped me out, though, was the way he told the story about the congresswoman opening her eyes, almost implying that he had something to do with it. Messiah complex, anyone?
January 13, 2011 at 3:21 pm
And here just the other day I was wondering if having the plant from my grandma's memorial was tacky. >.<
The shirts COULD have been a nice touch– maybe in red, white and blue, with the names of the victims on them? Or white or black with victim's faces? Maybe for sale to raise funds for the victims' families?
I know a lot of folks really liked the speech. I can't stand speeches, so didn't listen…the cheering sounds creepy.
January 13, 2011 at 5:21 pm
So, when is the memorial for the Fort Hood victims? We are still waiting for the messiah to make an appearance down here and show his special talent for making it ALL ABOUT HIM.