Obama Spells Out Golden Opportunity of Arizona National Tragedy

Jan. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- Last night President Obama took the occasion of offering the nation and the world the OPPORTUNITY to find HOPE AND OPTIMISM in this terrible tragedy.  He asked us to rise above the evil of the shooting to honor those who sacrificed their lives or lie wounded in a hospital.

The nation is grieving, we have lost six members of our American family including a Judge, someone’s spouse, civil servants, and a 9 year old named Christina.  We await for updated news in any moment about the recovery of the wounded. We are asking why?  What is wrong in the world?  Why is their so much evil?

Obama acknowledged our collective desire to explain such chaos, or to make sense of the senseless.  He warned us against searching for blame and fingers to point; against continuing a divisive, national polarized discourse.

Instead Obama attempted to focus on the OPTIMISM of a Golden Opportunity contained in this tragedy:

   * How do we honor the fallen and be true to their memory, he said.

On Monday of next week, we celebrate a hero of another national tragedy: The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. who was assassinated in April of 1968 as he fought peacefully for the equality of all people.  King did not die in vain.  His death became the GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY for those that followed him to make his dream of equality for all a reality.

Obama has placed a light on a path we can follow so these deaths can result in us having better lives and a more civil society.  Here is more of what he called upon us to do.

In his thirty minute speech Obama asked us to:

   * Look back at the loss;
   * Look to the future, and;
   * Reflect on the present day relationships with those still with us.

He asked us to let the loss of public servants, spouses, friends and a child give us inspiration to be more:

   * Kind,
   * Generous,
   * Compassionate.

He asked us to let go of the quest for:

   * Wealth,
   * Power,
   * Status, and
   * Fame.

He asked us to use the occasion to:

   * Realize how much we value our 300 million strong “American Family;”

Then he asked us to:

   * Look at our own families and realize how precious those relationships are;
   * Consider our own mortality and the fleeting time we have her on earth to form and maintain those loving relationships.

He reframed the goal and meaning of life as:

   * How well we shall have loved to make others better!

He shouted-out the Golden Opportunity for all to embrace:

   * Make any reflection and debate worthy of those we have lost;
   * Strive to be better friends, neighbors, coworkers and friends and parents;
   * Put more civility in public discourse.

He implored us to:

   * Face-up to the challenges of the nation and make those who have sacrificed PROUD!
   * Live-up to their example of public service;
   * Question only ideas and NOT the love of country;
   * MAKE THIS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO BE BETTER.

For more on Optimism go to the "Optimism Blog:" http://www.drrussbuss.com

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