At the very least, the speech brought the massacre and its aftermath back to the central point made in the wake of all national tragedies and collective sorrows: Let us dedicate ourselves to the improvement of ourselves, our community, and humankind so that the wound suffered might be given retroactive meaning beside the senseless nihilism of the event itself. It is, perhaps, utopian. But there’s no question it offers comfort, and gives us an image other than Jared Loughner’s terrifying face to focus on.
LIVE BLOG: What the Speech Means
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