Charles Rangel: “these words that I speak today do not come easily. They flow forth from a deep reservoir of sorrowful emotions that…”

“these words that I speak today do not come easily. They flow forth from a deep reservoir of sorrowful emotions that compel me to take this podium. What we witnessed on the campus of Virginia Tech was too much. Too much for anyone to bear. Too much for a nation to bear. America weeps, Mr. Speaker. In my life, I've seen the horrors of war. It is something I wish upon no one. To have battlefield casualties on an American college campus, is something I never thought I would see. 33 lives . . . 33 young, bright lives on the cusp of experiencing the greatness that life has to offer. We must be mindful of everything we do. We must ask ourselves what we are doing that has created a world where this could happen. As much as it hurts we must reexamine what kind of society we want to be. I cannot even begin to comprehend how such a terrible tragedy like this came to pass. It would be too easy to say that this horrific incident calls for some type of action by this body. That may become necessary, but that is for another day. Today is a day for us to look within ourselves. To examine who we are as a people and never forget what happened on April 16, 2007.”