Our nation's flag is at half mast today — an action meant to recognize the useless violence upon the victims and families of the Las Vegas shooting.
These were innocents. Moms, Dads, Sons, Daughters, Brothers and Sisters murdered for - whatever the reason, it is no good reason.
Details are sparse at this early hour. We have no clue why or how a man was able to gather a collection of guns into a high rise hotel room where he killed fifty eight and injured another five hundred fifteen that we have knowledge of so far before turning the gun on himself.
Police, FBI and Homeland Security will investigate. They will do their best to find out why he did what he did, how he did what he did and what we might do to prevent such acts in the future.
For now all we can do is pray for those in the hospital and the families of those who have died. Our President, in a speech given shortly after the shootings, offered words of Bible and of comfort for the victims. He did one other thing - he ordered the flag representing our nation to be flown at half mast.
This is why refusal to stand at our national anthem is such a wicked thing. This is why it is not an issue of free speech or a statement of moral injustice. This is why Americans have reacted so negatively to the movement of disrespect.
This flag represents - us.
It represents those who have gone before us. Those who left home and loved ones to create a new home is this land. Those who dreamed of a new kind of government, one built on the principle that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. Those who fought and died for that new government. Those who brought it into being. Those who forged the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
It represents the soldiers. Men and women who, for these two hundred forty-one years, have defended those principles. It represents the law enforcement personnel, the legislative, judicial and executive branches of our country who have made it to function.
More than that, it represents - us.
Common Americans who live and work right here - in the United States of America . Christians and non-Christians alike who get educated, get jobs, get married and raise kids, grow old, and die.
When we salute the flag we give honor not merely to the principles America was built upon but the people America is composed of.
These were innocents. Moms, Dads, Sons, Daughters, Brothers and Sisters murdered for - whatever the reason, it is no good reason.
Details are sparse at this early hour. We have no clue why or how a man was able to gather a collection of guns into a high rise hotel room where he killed fifty eight and injured another five hundred fifteen that we have knowledge of so far before turning the gun on himself.
Police, FBI and Homeland Security will investigate. They will do their best to find out why he did what he did, how he did what he did and what we might do to prevent such acts in the future.
For now all we can do is pray for those in the hospital and the families of those who have died. Our President, in a speech given shortly after the shootings, offered words of Bible and of comfort for the victims. He did one other thing - he ordered the flag representing our nation to be flown at half mast.
This is why refusal to stand at our national anthem is such a wicked thing. This is why it is not an issue of free speech or a statement of moral injustice. This is why Americans have reacted so negatively to the movement of disrespect.
It represents those who have gone before us. Those who left home and loved ones to create a new home is this land. Those who dreamed of a new kind of government, one built on the principle that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. Those who fought and died for that new government. Those who brought it into being. Those who forged the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
It represents the soldiers. Men and women who, for these two hundred forty-one years, have defended those principles. It represents the law enforcement personnel, the legislative, judicial and executive branches of our country who have made it to function.
More than that, it represents - us.
Common Americans who live and work right here - in the United States of America . Christians and non-Christians alike who get educated, get jobs, get married and raise kids, grow old, and die.
When we salute the flag we give honor not merely to the principles America was built upon but the people America is composed of.
