Open Thread: Reaction to Last Night's Tucson Memorial

January 13th, 2011 10:09 AM

Last night's memorial for the victims of Saturday's Tucson massacre was moving, if strange at times. Below the fold are some reactions to the event.

Mark Tapscott has a fantastic post on the bizarre Pantheistic religious ceremony at the outset, which honored "Mother Earth" and "Father Sky." Strikingly absent were any Judeo-Christian clergymen. Tapscott ponders the strange - and seeminly hypocritical - concern for "Separation of Church and State" that was for some reason absent during the Native American prayer ceremony at the memorial's outset.

The President's speech has been recieved very well, even by his critics. On Fox last night, Charles Krauthammer, Brit Hume, and Chris Wallace applauded Obama's decision not to wade into the partisan fray. He "behaved as some of his partisans have not, with considerable dignity and grace," Hume noted.

But the University of Arizona audience was uprorious - often inappropriately - adding to the campaign rally atmosphere at times. Michelle Malkin touched on that subject, and also explored the very campaign-esque branding the event was given.

What are your thoughts on the event? Share some of the stories you've been reading about the event.