The nation is rejoicing after a stirring speech given by President Barack Obama Wednesday evening, at a memorial service dedicated to the victims of last weekend's shootings in Tuscon, Arizona. President Obama summed up the speech with a memorable request in memory of Christina Taylor Green:
"I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. All of us – we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations."
On Tuesday, Arizona legislators quickly approved emergency legislation that stopped a picketing of a funeral service for the 9-year-old girl killed in the Tuscon shootings. Unanimous votes by the House and Senate sent the bill to Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed it Tuesday evening, taking effect immediately. The Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kansas, said Monday it plans to picket Thursday’s funeral for Christina because “God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America.” The fundamentalist church has picketed many military funerals to draw attention to its view that the deaths are God’s punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality. The girl was the youngest of six people killed during the shooting at an event held by U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was among 14 people injured. Giffords, who was shot in the head and critically wounded, moving on command, seeing and breathing on her own after surgeons worked to relieve swelling on her brain.
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