July 8, 2016
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GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO:
Let me take a moment before we begin and talk about the topic of the day. This has been an ugly period in this nation. The past few months, we’ve seen the anger, frustration, anxiety of people getting worse and worse. You can feel it in the political environment. But the past few days have been especially disturbing. There have been acts of violence that are seemingly inexplicable. What happened in Louisiana, the death there, Minnesota, and then last night twelve police officers shot in Dallas, Texas.
They still have to get the specifics on who and why would do such a sick and mad act. But the preliminary information suggests that it was related to the previous deaths and anger and tension between police and the community.
You know, you look at the past few days and you get the sense that America’s demons are challenging America’s better angels. I think the country, like a person, our strengths can be our weakness, our greatest strength c an be our greatest weakness. This country’s greatest strength is its diversity – we’re not one race, one religion. We come from all different places all across the globe. We’re black, we’re white, we’re brown, all different sexual orientations, and then we made one community from this diverse group, and the diverse group brought the strength of the diversity. That’s the essence of who we are. That diversity. Yes, we’re different. When you try to make those differences a weakness, you go right to the core of what this country is, and that’s the tension that you feel out there right now. We are one people.
We are one nation. We are one state. We celebrate the differences, and we celebrate the diversity. We’ve come as far as we’ve come because we’ve focused on the commonalities and the similarities, not on the differences. We find ways to build bridges and not build walls among each other. Join me, please. Let’s take a moment of silence for the lives that have been lost over the past few days, and for those who are inclined, say a prayer that the worst is behind us.
CONGRESSMAN TOM REED:
“We care about standing with our law enforcement during this difficult time. We must underscore that senseless acts of violence and retaliation against any one group of people, especially law enforcement officers who sacrifice every day to keep us safe, are never justified. The violence must stop. We grieve with all those impacted and our prayers are with the families and loved ones who have lost someone to the recent violence.”
JAMESTOWN DEMOCRAT JOHN PLUMB:
Nothing justifies the killing of police. Nothing justifies the killing of innocent civilians stopped by police. Nothing justifies this much fear, this much hatred, or this much blood.
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SENATOR TOM O’MARA:
First and foremost, on behalf of the 58th Senate District, our thoughts and prayers will remain with the fallen Dallas police officers, for the recovery of the wounded officers, for all of their families, and for their fellow officers still bravely, courageously and heroically protecting their city in the face of this deadly violence.
And on this day, we also send out our gratitute and respect to all of America’s law enforcement officers — here at home throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, around New York State and across the nation — for their dedicated service, day and night, in cities, towns and villages, to bravely protect the safety of us all.
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LESLIE DANKS BURKE:
When the morning greets me with tragedy, my first conversations are often with my children, who tend to read the news with me. I inevitably learn more by attempting to explain to a first-grader. Bald statements emerge, euphemisms stripped away. As we grapple with checking the daily slaughter of lives ripping through our country, we are all called to be the change we want to see in the world.
“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but it has not solved one yet.” — Maya Angelou
Peace be with you today.
STATE SENATOR CATHY YOUNG:
Prayers for the Dallas Police Officers and their families who are suffering and heartbroken after the terrible attack last night. Remember all of our courageous police officers who put their lives in danger every day protecting us.
