Barack Obama: “Agreeing on the need for the parties to return to the negotiating table.”

They're meant to remind us of who we can be, to remind us of what's possible, so we can forge ahead.

We’ve now fought a war, spent billions and billions of dollars, you know, put enormous strain on our military. A lot of people have died. And it feels like we’re back where we were before we started the war, except maybe a little bit worse…

the American people want to find a way to turn towards each other again, not further away"

In forming our union, the founders fell terribly short of the Declaration's promise, leaving slavery intact, allowing states to restrict the franchise to white men who owned property.