Angus King: “I have often asked, particularly around here, why Maine is so special, why I am so passionate about it, why Maine people…”

“I have often asked, particularly around here, why Maine is so special, why I am so passionate about it, why Maine people are always so connected to our State, no matter where they may roam. And I always have the same answer: that Maine is a big small town, with very long streets. We know each other. We care about each other. There is a fabric of our community that is a beloved community, and we go through storms, and we go through all of the vicissitudes of life together, supporting one another and caring about one another. A week ago, there was a tear in the fabric of our community. A lone gunman visited two places, a bowling alley and a bar and grill, and killed 18 people--18 innocent, beautiful people--and injured another 13. We are going to have a lot of time around here to talk about policy and what to do about this problem and what our policies can and should be. But, tonight, my colleague and I simply want to remember the people who lost their lives last Wednesday night in Lewiston, ME. Lewiston is a microcosm of that Maine community. It is a community where people are close, where they know one another, where they grew up together. It is a diverse community. It was largely formed over 100 years ago by immigrants coming to this country by Canada. It is one of the most vital and vibrant communities in our State. I now want to ask my colleague for her thoughts. And she and I are going to remember those that we lost. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore.…”