Obama Addresses Giffords Tragedy in Arizona

There are times when a person feels like they are bursting with pride about being an American and such a time was last night when I watched and listened to President Obama address the survivors of the heinous attack in Tucson, their loved ones and the loved ones of those who did not survive, the people of Arizona, and the American people. If there is such a thing as a healer-in-chief the President eloquently performed that role last night.

I am so very happy that I had the chance to cast my vote for Barack Obama in November of 2008. Despite the discordant notes echoed every day from the right wing who would prefer to accentuate the things that bring us apart rather than Obama who prefers to accentuate the many more things we have in common that bring us together for a common purpose, to truly form a more perfect union, what rang true last night was that the majority of the American people are tired of the finger pointing, the blame, the angry words, and the mistruths that are doing more to harm our nation than to help it.

There are those on the Liberal side who believe Obama has not moved fast enough or done enough to promote their agenda, and of course there are those on the Right who believe he has done far too much, but then again, to the Right wing anything that smacks of equal opportunity, hope, and a better future for all Americans conflicts with their belief that government should be by the rich and powerful for the rich and powerful.

Have we forgotten that Obama has been in office for only two years and in that time he has saved our country from an economic depression, reduced our forces in Iraq by 75%, instituted financial reform, the end of the discriminatory don't ask don't tell policy where those risking their life and limbs to defend our country were treated like the enemy, a health care reform act, although far from perfect will still reduce the rolls of the uninsured by more than thirty million people, and he has helped enact legislation that will enforce workplace safety, equal pay for equal work, and a host of other laws to protect the American people.

In two years Obama has accomplished more than any other President since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and I have no doubt under his leadership immigration reform will be adopted and we will stop treating those who come to our country seeking a better life for their families as our parents and grandparents did, and who are willing to do the most menial labor, as our enemy. It is through his leadership that one day we will see the people who come here and are willing to do whatever they can to succeed as part of the American dream and no different than our ancestors who came here with the same hopes and dreams.

If the speech showed the American people anything last night it should be that we without any doubt have elected the best person to be our President a little more than two years ago.

Mark Jeffery Koch of NJ 11:31AM January 13, 2011