June 26, 201505:10 PM EDT
-- President Obama, on the late Rev. Clementa Pinckney
Today, President Obama traveled to Charleston, South Carolina to honor the life of pastor and state senator Clementa Pinckney -- one of the nine who lost their lives in last week's shooting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.
President Barack Obama delivers the eulogy at the funeral of Reverend Clementa Pinckney at the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., June 26, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
In his eulogy, the President highlighted just how much Reverend Pinckney accomplished during his 41 years of life -- being in the pulpit at age 13, a pastor at age 18, and a public servant at age 23.
"He did not exhibit any of the cockiness of youth, nor youth's insecurities," the President said. "Instead, he set an example worthy of his position, wise beyond his years, in his speech, in his conduct, in his love, faith, and purity."
President Obama emphasized that even in the midst of our sadness, this tragedy has "allowed us to see where we've been blind." It made clear how the Confederate flag has been a "reminder of systematic oppression and racial subjugation." It reminded us how gun violence inflicts a "unique mayhem" on our nation. It spotlighted how past injustices continue to shape our present actions.
"It would be a betrayal of everything Reverend Pinckney stood for," the President added, "if we allowed ourselves to slip into a comfortable silence again -- once the eulogies have been delivered and the TV cameras have moved on."
As the President noted, Reverend Pinckney understood that "justice grows out of recognition of ourselves in each other. That my liberty depends on you being free, too. That history can’t be a sword to justify injustice, or a shield against progress, but must be a manual for how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past -- how to break the cycle. A roadway toward a better world. He knew that the path of grace involves an open mind -- but, more importantly, an open heart."
Today wasn't simply a funeral service for a pastor and a politician. It was a celebration of life, a reminder of the work we have left to do, and encouragement to keep pushing forward.
Related Topics: South Carolina