On the recordJanuary 12, 2011
We are one as we pay tribute to Congresswoman Giffords and all the other victims of violence in Tucson. Our gathering reflects the truth of America's first motto, which is above this Chamber, E Pluribus Unum--Out of Many, We Are One. It is vital that we acknowledge our oneness, not just as a Congress, but as a Nation and as a world. In that appreciation for oneness, we find human sympathy, compassion, and love. It is an awareness of the imperative of human unity which can bring us to the threshold of understanding our power to bring an end to the violence which is consuming our loved ones. It is an awareness of the imperative of human unity which can help us to create a new America where the omnipresence of violence is understood as a challenge to be met, not as an unyielding truth of the human condition to be accepted. Our hearts are open now as we recognize the victims. So let us be open to a new direction, where we in this Nation can take an organized approach to deal with the causes of violence, not just the effects. We are one with our sister, Congresswoman Giffords, and all the other victims. Let us continue to be one with each other as we struggle to bring light to this moment of darkness.
