Dallas Officers Memorial: President Bush speaks
best intentions. and this is — [ applause ] and this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose. but americans, i think, have a great advantage, to renew our unity we only need to remember our values. we have never been held together by blood or background. we are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals. at our best, we practice empathy. imaging ourselves in the lives and circumstances of others. this is the bridge across our nation’s deepest divisions. and it’s not merely a matter of tolerance, but of learning from the struggles and stories of our fellow citizens and finding our better selves in the process. at our best, we honor the image of god we see in one another. we recognize that we’re brothers and sisters sharing the same brief moment on earth and owing each other the loyalty of our shared humanity. at our best, would know we have one country, one future, one destiny. we do not want the unity of grief, nor do we want the unity of fear. we want the unity of hope, affection, and high purpose. we know that the kind of just humane country we want to build that we have seen in our best dreams is made possible when men and women in uniform stand guard. at their best when they are trained and trusted and accountable. they free us from fear. the apossiblel paul said for god gave us a spirit not of fear but of strength and love and self-control. those are the best responses to fear in the life of our country. and they are the code of the peace officer. today, all of us feel a sense of loss, but not equally. i’d like the conclude with a word to the families, the spouses, and especially the children of the fallen. your loved one’s time with you was too short. they did not get a chance to properly say goode good-bye. but they went where duty called. they defended us, even to the end. they finished well. we will not forget what they did for us. your loss is unfair. we cannot explain it. we can stand beside you and share your grief. and we can pray that god will comfort you with a hope deeper than sorrow and stronger
