Stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there o say does that star spangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave of the brave to begin the program, please welcome the mayor of dallas, mike rawlings. [ applause ] good afternoon. Welcome. At 8 58 p. M. , five days ago, the soul of our city was pierced when Police Officers were ambushed in a cowardly attack. In the days that followed, we have searched a massive crime scene, weve solved and paid tribute at a growing memorial at the police headquarters. We prayed together at thanksgiving square we lit candles to honor the lives of our five heroes. Today we open our citys doors to our friends and to our neighbors. We realize that our pain is your pain. You want to do what we want to do honor the lives of these five officers. Warren aarons. Michael kroll. Michael smith. Brent thompson. Patricio zamariba. On behalf of the dallas citizens and our great dallas city council, we want to say thank you, and thank you for accepting our invitation. Some of you have traveled from across our state, and some are from across our country. I want to recognize my fellow mayors from out of state for being here on such short notice. Oklahoma city mayor mick cornett. New orleans layer mitch landrieu. Stephen benjamin. Louisville mayor, greg fisher. Thank you. Thank you also to my friend, ft. Worth mayor, betsy price. To our states first lady, cecelia abbott, and daughter, audrey abbott, who are here on behalf of governor greg abbott. Governor jay nixon of missouri and governor Susanna Martinez of new mexico. And to our congressmen and women. You represent elected officials and your citizens across the country who have reached out to me in recent days and who werent able to make it here today, whose cities and states have also been scarred by violence. Congresswoman johnson, senator cornyn, senator cruz, these men and women are here with us because they know we have a common disease this absurd violence on our streets. Those that will help us fight it are our men and women in blue, our peacemakers in blue. They have died for that cause. That is why today we reserve five seats for the men we lost on thursday night. We offer our gratitude to you, our cops, including those who have traveled here to support your brothers and sisters in the Dallas Police department, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police and the El Centro College police force. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Thank you for coming. [ applause ] most importantly, it is our purpose today to bring comfort to you. The families who are represented by those empty seats. We love you. We will never forget you. We also honor those who came close to death that night and who were wounded not only in the body but in the soul. May you never be forgotten as well. We understand that dallas pain is a national pain. That is why i want to say thank you to president obama and first lady mrs. Obama, Vice President biden and dr. Biden, and to two of our most distinguished citizens of dallas, president bush and laura bush, for coming to help us heal these wounds. To wage this battle against violence and separatism, today must be about unity. Unity among faiths, unity among police and citizens, and, yes, unity among politicians. In recent days ive seen unity, even before that tragedy, when police and protesters mingled peacefully. Ive seen unity when the protesters came out in support of the police after the days of this tragedy. I see unity today when the Arlington Police and the texas dps officers step up to relieve our exhausted Police Officers. This interfaith choir behind me symbolizes that unity, coming from six churches across our city. These three religious leaders e will pray in a few minutes in a show of unity. I believe you will hear words of unity from other speakers. The senior senator from texas, john cornyn. President bush. Police chief david brown. And president obama. The past few days have been some of the darkest in our citys histories. Theres no question about that. As we bury these men in the coming days, it will not get easier. I know. But theres nothing like a crisis that forces one to take pause of your life and your citys life. And if youre from out of town, i hope youll forgive me for a moment. I want to speak to my fellow dallasites. I have searched hard in my soul of late to discover what mistakes we have made. Ive asked, why us . And in my moments of selfdoubt, i discovered the truth. That we did nothing wrong. In fact, dallas is very, very good. Our police are among the best in the country. I am in awe of our dallas Police Officers. [ applause ] we set the standard where policing can both be strong and sma smart, where men die for the rights that this country was built on. In short, i have never been more proud of my city, our city. While we did nothing wrong, there is a reason this happened here, this place, too time in American History. This is our chance to lead and build a new model for a community, for a city, for our country. To do that, there will be tough times ahead. We will mourn together, and together is the key word here. We may be sad, but we will not dwell in selfpity. We may weep but we will never whine. For we have too much work to be done. We have too many bridges to build that we will cross together. This, i know. This, i know, will happen. Thank you. [ applause ] let every head be bowed, every eye closed, as we go to god in prayer. God of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far on the way, lord, our hearts are heavy, our spirits are torn, tears flow from our eyes and we come to you, o god, because you are the rock in the weary land. You are the shelter in the time of storm, and, god, you are uniquely qualified to come see about your people from genesis to revelations, you have helped and healed and mended and molded. Right now, o god, we salute the five slain dallas Police Officers who died protecting and serving this community. We honor their sacrifice and commitment, surround their families and loved ones with your holy ghost power. Cover the entire Dallas Police department with your grace and your mercy, and, lord, keep your hands of everlasting love on our chief, david brown, as he leads with dignity and determination. God, your word says all things Work Together for good. We cant see that right now, but well trust you when we cant trace you. Lord, your word says we may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Right now it is still dark, but were going to hold on to your unchanging hand. Yes, there will be lingering effects from thursdays ambush, there is terror, anxiety and despair. But in the mighty and matchless name of jesus christ, we will keep on, we will prance on, we will love on, we will live on. Shadow beneath thy hand, may we forever stand true to our god and true to america. Let the church say amen. Amen. In the name of god, the most compassionate, the most merciful, may his peace and blessings be upon his prophets and messengers and all those that follow in their blessed path. Today our city is heartbroken. Our country is soul searching. And we as individuals are forever in need of your guidance and protection. We ask you to look upon us today to guide us to live our lives in ways that are most pleasing to you. We ask you to put peace in our hearts that we may spread it to all of those around us. We ask you to protect us from being people of injustice, that we may purify the world of it. And as we ask you, we recognize that it is up to us to say, you did not create us for bigotry or vengeance. You did not create us to dominate or oppress one another. You did not create us for war. We are not the ones to judge who should live and who should die. So today we stand before you in humility, and in determination, ready to pursue the peace, justice and equality that you demand of us, ready to stand up against all of the evil that threatens to destroy the goodness in your creation, ready to stand up against any oppression, in any name, for any cause, from any position, and against any of your creation. We ask that your love would comfort those who mourn their loved ones today, that their memory would flood their families with joy, that the children of our fallen officers and all of those who have lost their lives to senseless violence are molded in the love that we express today, not in the hatred that claimed the lives of their fathers. We ask that the voices of racism and xenophobia that seek to divide us are drowned out by the chorus of voices that say you will not pit us against one another. We choose today to live by the hope that youve instilled within us, not the fears that others manufacture amongst us. And with that, we pray to you, the one god of noah, abraham, moses, jesus, mohammed and us all for one dallas, one america, and one world. Amen. Amen. [ applause ] dear friends, together we are here opening our hearts and our souls to the god of compassion, as the simple human beings that we are, as mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, all children of the heavenly parent, all created in the divine image, and all here today to pray for healing for wisdom, for strength and for peace. In this moment of sadness and pain, we look to the heavens knowing as a poet once said, there are stars up above, so far away we only see their light, long after the star itself is gone. And so it is with the people that we love. Their memories keep shining ever brightly, though the time with us is done. But the stars that light up the darkest night, these are the stars that guide us as we live our days, these are the ways we remember. As we live our days, we remember brent thompson, patrick zamarippa, michael krol, lorne ahrens and michael smith. They will be remembered as shining lights, bravery, dedication to our city, kindness and compassion. As we live our days, we will never forget their sacrifice. As our city is still reeling from the violence of only a few short days ago, we beseech you, o god, healer of the broken hearted with the words of moses as he prayed for healing for his sister, miriam, please, god, heal her. And so we pray to the families of our fallen dallas Police Officers and dallas area regional Transit Police officer, we pray, please, god, heal them, as we ask for your healing power to surround them and their loved ones in this, their time of need, with hope, with strength, and with love. To those who survived the violence but will always bear the scars of memory, we pray, please, god, heal them and bring to their bodies and souls the wholeness and completeness they seek. To our elected officials and police and first responders, in to whose hands we place our lives, we pray, please, god, heal them as we know they hurt along with us. And bring to them, o god, the wisdom and the courage necessary to make the Permanent Peace we seek. And to those of us who are scared and afraid, angry and confused, in our city and in our country, we pray, please, god, heal us as we ask for your healing power to heal us once and for all from the illness of violence, of hatred, xenophobia, and indifference that plagues us every single day. God, you who must work daily to make peace throughout the heavens, we ask you this day to give us the courage and strength to help us make peace here on earth for everyone, every single day, and together we say, amen. Amen. Lord lord i will live my life to the hilt and lord knowing my know iing youre king hallelujah to the king of kings to the lord of lords we say amen today we bless you we love you, lord amen amen hallelujah [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome senator john cornyn. [ applause ] i know i speak for everyone here and around the country expressing my profound gratitude to mayor rawlings, chief brown and entire dallas and d. A. R. T. Police departments. [ applause ] we thank you for your strength and the grace youve shown in these trying hours. Chief, i particularly like the way you put it yesterday when you said simply that dallas loves. Its my solemn privilege to join the people of dallas all across the state of texas and the entire country in honoring these men of uncommon courage. Several years ago in the aftermath of another tragedy, the shocking explosion in west texas, a local official told me something that sticks with me even to this day. He said, being a texan doesnt describe where youre from. It describes who your family is. So today our family and this great nation shares the grief of dall dallas. I want to especially thank president obama, first Lady Michelle obama, Vice President biden, dr. Jill biden, for honoring us by your presence here today. [ applause ] in times of darkness, when its hard to hold on to hope, we must remember that these men, along with their fellow officers, were not ultimately overcome by evil. No. As scripture directs us, i believe they chose to confront evil and overcome it with good. They overcame evil by running toward the sound of the gunfire. They overcame evil by shielding their fellow citizens from the spray of bullets. They overcame evil by sacrificing their own lives so that others could live. And i believe that because of their example to all of us, the city of dallas shall overcome the evil from that day. Amidst our profound sadness, we honor and remember these officers for putting the people of dallas before themselves and in their final moment serving others protecting this city and loving this community as they did. Today we join millions across our state and country who continue to lift up these families, friends and fellow officers in our prayers, as well as those recovering from their wounds. In the aftermath of another lifealtering event on september the 11th, 2001, president george w. Bush inspired all of us in speaking of how this nation has always responded to evil, with powerful courage and deep concern for one another. And so once again, we gather as one nation under god. Yes, to grieve. But then to rise up and to continue to fight the good fight, to finish the race, and to keep the faith. Ladies and gentlemen, its my honor to welcome to the podium the 43rd president of the United States, part of our texas family, and a man who, along with his bride, laura, proudly call this community their home. President george w. Bush. [ applause ] thank you all. Thank you, senator. I, too, am really pleased that president obama and mrs. Obama have come down to dallas. I also want to welcome Vice President and mrs. Biden. Mr. Mayor, chief brown, elected officials, members of the Law Enforcement community. Today the nation grieves, but those of us who love dallas and call it home have had five deaths in the family. Laura and i see members of Law Enforcement every day. We count them as our friends. And we know, like for every other american, that their courage is our protection and shield. Were proud the men we mourn and the community that has rallied to honor them and support the wounded. Our mayor, police chief and Police Departments have been mighty inspirations for the rest of the nation. [ applause ] these slain officers were the best among us. Lorne ahrens, beloved husband and father of two. Michael krol. Caring son, brother, uncle, nephew and friend. Michael smith, u. S. Army veteran. Devoted husband and father of two. Brent thompson, marine corps vet. Recently married. Patrick zamarippa, u. S. Navy reserve combat veteran. Proud father. And loyal Texas Rangers fan. [ laughter applause ] with their deaths, we have lost so much. We are grief stricken, heartbroken, and forever grateful. Every officer has accepted a calling that sets them apart. Most of us imagine if the moment called for, that we would risk our lives to protect a spouse or a child. Those wearing the uniform assume that risk for the safety of strangers. They and their families share the unspoken knowledge that each new day can bring new dangers. But none of us were prepared, or could be prepared, for an ambush by hatred and malice. The shock of this evil still has not faded. At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates too quickly into dehumanization. Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our 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, imagining ourselves in the lives and circumstances of others. This is the bridge across our nations deepest divisions. And it is 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 see the image of god in ourselves. We recognize that we are brothers and sisters sharing the same brief moment on earth and owing each other the loyalty of our shared humanity. At our best we 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 theyre trained and trusted and accountable, they free us from fear. The apostle paul said, for god gave us a spirit not of fear, but of strength and love and selfcontrol. 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. Id like to conclude with the word to the families, the spouses, and especially the children of the fallen. Your loved ones time with you was too short. They did not get a chance to properly say goodbye. 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 than death. May god bless you. [ applause ] leadership is hard. Great leadership is very unique. We experienced that leadership this week with the chiefs of our d. A. R. T. And dpd offices. I want to say thanks to d. A. R. T. Chief James Speller for what you have done. [ applause ] and i want to also introduce a man who has given his life to the city of dallas. The 28th chief of police. Over 30 years on the force. A native of south oak cliff. [ applause ] [ cheers ] a man [ applause ] a man that i call a friend, but more importantly, he is my rock. He represents not only dallas, but Police Officers, police chiefs, this higher calling across the United States of america. Ladies and gentlemen, chief david brown. [ cheers and applause ] thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. When i was a teenager and started liking girls, i could never find the right words to express myself. And after a couple of words, they would just walk away leaving me figuring out what do i need to do to get a date. And so being a music fan of 1970s rhythm and blues love songs, i put together a strategy to recite the lyrics to get a date. [ laughter ] so for girls i liked, i would pull out some al green or some teddy pendergrass. [ laughter ] or some eisley brothers and id recite the lyrics to their love songs. But for people i loved, if i fell in love with a girl, oh, i had to dig down deep and get some Stevie Wonder. [ applause ] to fully express the love i had for them for the girl. So today, im going to pull out some Stevie Wonder for these fans. [ applause ] for these families. So families, close your eyes and just imagine me back in 1974 with an afro and some bell bottoms and wide collar. We all know sometimes lifes hate and troubles can make you wish you were born in another time and place. But you can bet your life times that, and twice its double, that god knew exactly where you wanted you to be placed. So make sure when you say youre not in it, but not of it, youre not helping to make this earth a place sometimes called hell. Change your words into truth and then change that truth into love. And maybe your childrens grandchildren and their great great grandchildren will tell them ill be loving you. Until the rainbow burns, the stars out of the sky, ill be loving you. Until the ocean covers every mountain high, ill be loving you. Until the dolphin flies and the parrots live at the sea. Ill be loving you. Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream, ill be loving you. Until the day is night and night becomes the day, ill be loving you. Until the trees and seas, up, up and fly away, ill be loving you. Until the day that eight times eight times eight times eight is four, ill be loving you. Until the day that is the day thats that are no more ill be loving you. Until the day the earth starts turning right to left ill be loving you. Until the earth, just for the sun, denies itself, ill be loving you. Until Mother Nature says her work is through, ill be loving you. Until the day that you are me and i am you. Now aint that loving you . [ applause ] until the rainbow burns, the stars out of the sky. Aint that loving you . Until the ocean covers every mounta mountaintop. And ive got to say, always, ill be loving you always. And theres no greater love than this. That these five men gave their lives for all of us. It is my honor to introduce to you the president of the United States of america, president barack obama. Thank you. [ cheers and applause ] thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. To president and mrs. Bush, my friend, the Vice President , and dr. Biden, mayor rawlings, chief spiller, clergy, members of congre congress, chief brown, im so glad i met michelle first, because she loves Stevie Wonder. [ laughter and applause ] but most of all, the families. And friends. And colleagues and fellow officers. Scripture tells us that in our sufferings, there is glory. Because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseveran perseverance, character. And character, hope. Sometimes the truths of these words are hard to see. Right now those words test us. Because the people of dallas, people across the country are suffering. Were here to hon no are the memory and mourn the loss of five fellow americans. To grieve with their loved ones. To support this community. To pray for the wounded, and to try and find some meaning amidst our sorrow. For the men and women who protect and serve the people of dallas, last thursday began like any other day. Like most americans, each day you get up, probably have two quick a breakfast, kiss your family goodbye, and you head to work. But your work and the work of Police Officers across the country is like no other. For the moment you put on that uniform, you have answered a call that at any moment, even in the briefest interaction, they put your life in harms way. Lorne ahrens, he answered that call. So did his wife, katrina. Not only because she was the spouse of a Police Officer, but because shes a detective on the force. They have two kids. And lorne took them fishing. He used to proudly go to their school in uniform. On the night before he died, he bought dinner for a homeless n man. And the next night katrina had to tell their children that their dad was gone. They dont get it yet, their grandma said. They dont know what to do quite yet. Michael krol answered that call. His mother said he knew the dangers of the job, but he never shied away from his duty. He came 1,000 miles from his home state of michigan to be a cop in dallas, telling his family, there is something i wanted to do. Last year he brought his girlfriend back to detroit for thanksgivi thanksgiving. That was the last time hed see his family. Michael smith answered that call. In the army, and over almost 30 years working for the Dallas Police association which gave him the appropriately named cops cop award. A man of deep faith. When he was off duty, he could be found at church or playing softball with his two girls. Today his girls have lost their dad, for god has called michael home. Patrick zamarippa, he answered that call. Just 32, a former altar boy who served in the navy and dreamed of being a cop. He liked to post videos of himself and his kids on social media. On thursday night while patrick went to work, his partner, christy, poisted a photo of her and her daughter at a Texas Rangers game and tagged the department so he could see it while on duty. Brent thompson answered that call. He served his country as a marine. Years later as a contractor, he spent time in some of the most dangerous parts of iraq and afghanistan. And then a few years ago he settled down here in dallas for a new life of service as a transit cop. Just about two weeks ago, he married a fellow officer. Their whole life together waiting before them. Like Police Officers across the country, these men and their families shared a commitment to something larger than themselves. They werent looking for their names to be up in lights. Theyd tell you the pay was decent, but wouldnt make you rich. They could have told you about the stress and long shifts. They probably agree with chief brown when he said that cops dont expect to hear the words thank you very often. Especially from those who need them the most. No. The reward comes in knowing that our entire way of life in america depends on the rule of l law, that the maintenance of that law is a hard and daily lab labor, that in this country we dont have soldiers in the streets or militias setting the rules. Instead, we have public servants, Police Officers, like the men who were taken away from us. And thats what these five were doing last thursday when they were assigned to protect and keep orderly a peaceful protest in response to the killing of alton sterling of baton rouge and Philando Castile of minnesota. They were upholding the Constitutional Rights of this country. For a while the protests went on without incident. And despite the fact that Police Conduct was the subject of the protest, despite the fact that there must have been signs or slogans or chants with which they profoundly disagreed, these men and this department did their jobs like professionals that they were. In fact, the police had been part of the protest plan. Dallas pd even posted photos on their twitter feeds of their officers standing among the protesters. Two officers, black and white, smiled next to a man with a sign that read no justice, no peace. And then around 9 00, the gunfire came. Another community torn apart. More hearts broken. More questions about what caused and what might prevent another such tragedy. I know that americans are struggling right now with what weve witnessed over the past week. First the shootings in minnesota and baton rouge. The protests. Then the targeting of police by the shooter here. An act not just of demented violence but of racial hatred. All thats left us wounded and angry. And hurt. This is the deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, perhaps even widened. And although we know that such divisions are not new, though theyve surely been worse in even the recent past, that offers us little comfort. Faced with this violence we wonder if the divides of race in america can ever be bridged. We wonder if an Africanamerican Community that feels unfairly targeted by police and Police Departments that feel unfairly maligned for doing their jobs can ever understand each others experience. We turn on the tv or surf the internet and we can watch positions harden and lines drawn and people retreat to their respective corners. Politicians calculate how to grab attention or avoid the fallout. We see all this and its hard not to think sometimes that the center wont hold. And that things might get worse. I understand. I understand how americans are feeling. But, dallas, im here to say we must reject such despair. Im here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem. And i know that because i know america. I know how far weve come against impossible odds. [ applause ] i know well make it because of what ive experienced in my own life. What ive seen of this country and its people, their goodness and decency as president of the United States. And i know it because of what weve seen here in dallas, how all of you out of great suffering have shown us the meaning of perseverance and character and hope. When the bullets started flying, the men and women of the Dallas Police, they did not flinch, and they did not react recklessly. They showed incredible restraint. Helped in some cases by protesters they evacuated, isolated the shooter, saved more lives than we will ever know. [ applause ] we mourn fewer people today because of your brave actions. [ applause ] everyone was helping each other, one witness said. It wasnt about black or white. Everyone was picking each other up and moving them away. See, thats the america i know. The police helped shatania taylor as she was shot trying to shield her four sons. She said she wanted her boys to join her to protest the incidents of black men being killed. She also said to the dallas pd, thank you for being heroes. And today her 12yearold son wants to be a cop when he grows up. Thats the america i know. [ applause ] in the aftermath of the shooting, weve seen mayor rawlings and chief brown, a white man and a black man, with different backgrounds, working not just to restore order and support a shaken city, a shaken department, but working together to unify a city. With strength and grace and wisdom. [ applause ] and in the process, weve been reminded that the Dallas Police department has been at the forefront of improving relations between police and the community. The murder rate here has fallen. Complaints of Excessive Force have been cut by 64 . The Dallas Police department has been doing it the right way. [ applause ] you saw mayor rawlings and chief brown on behalf of the American People, thank you for your steady leadership. Thank you for your powerful example. We could not be prouder of you. [ applause ] these men, this department, this is the america i know. And today in this audience i see people who have protested on behalf of criminal Justice Reform grieving alongside Police Officers. I see people who mourn for the five officers we lost, but also weep for the families of alton sterling and Philando Castile. In this audience i see whats possib possible. I see whats possible when we recognize that we are one american family. All deserving of equal treatment. All deserving of equal respect. All children of god. Thats the america i know. Now im not naive. I have spoken at too many memorials during the course of this presidency. Ive hugged too many families whos lost a loved one to senseless violence. And ive seen how a spirit of unity born of tragedy can gradually dissipate. Overtaken by the return to business as usual. By inertia and old habits, and expediency. I see how easily we slip back into our old notions. Because theyre comfortable. Were used to them. Ive seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. Ive seen how inadequate my own words have been. And so im reminded of a passage in johns gospel. Let us love not with words or speech, but with actions and in tru truth. If were to sustain the unity, we need to get through these difficult times. If we are to honor these five outstanding officers, who weve lost, then we will need to act on the truths that we know. And thats not easy. It makes us uncomfortable. But were going to have to be honest with each other and ourselves. We know that the overwhelming majority of Police Officers do an incredibly hard and dangerous job fairly and professional. They are deserving of our respect and not our scorn. [ applause ] and when anyone, no matter how good their intentions may be, paints all police as biased or bigoted, we undermine those officers we depend on for our safety. And as for those who ut rse rhetoric suggesting harm to police, even if they dont act on it themselves, well, they not only make the jobs of Police Officers even more dangerous, but they do a disservice to the very cause of justice that they claim to promote. [ applause ] we also know that centuries of racial discrimination, of slavery and jim crow, they didnt necessarily vanish with the law against segregation. They didnt necessarily stop when a dr. King speech or the Civil Rights Act or Voting Rights act were signed. Race relations have improved dramatically in my lifetime. Those who deny it are dishonoring the struggles that helped us achieve that progress. But we know [ applause ] but, america, we know that bias remains. We know it whether you are black or white or hispanic or asian or native american or of middle eastern descent, we have all seen this bigotry in our own lives at some point. Weve heard it at times in our own homes. If were honest, perhaps weve heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts. We know that. And while some suffer far more under race im burden, some feel to a far greater extent discriminations stain. Although most of us do our best to guard against it and teach our children better, none of us is entirely innocent. No institution is entirely immune. And that includes our Police Departments. We know this. And so when africanamericans from all walks of life, from different communities across the country, voice a growing despair over what they perceive to be unequal treatment, when study after study shows that whites and people of color experience the criminal Justice System differently, so that if youre black youre more likely to be pull over, or searched or arrested, more likely to get longer sentences, more likely to get the Death Penalty for the same crime. When mothers and fathers raise their kids right, and have the talk about how to respond if stopped by a Police Officer, yes, sir, no, sir, but still fear that something terrible may happen when their child walks out the door . Still fear that kids being stupid and not quite doing things right might end in tragedy . When all this takes place more than 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act . We cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protests as troublemakers or paranoid. [ applause ] you cant simply dismiss it as a symptom of police cal correctness or reverse racism. To have your experience denied like that, dismissed by those in authority, dismissed perhaps even by your white friends and coworkers and fellow church members, again and again and again . It hurts. Surely, we can see that. All of us. We also know what chief brown has said is true, that so much of the tensions between Police Departments and minority communities that they serve is because we ask the police to do too much and we ask too little of ourselves. [ applause ] as a society we choose to underinvest in decent schools. We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment. We refuse to fund drug treatment and Mental Health programs. [ applause ] we flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book. [ applause ] and then we tell the police, youre a social worker, youre the parent, youre the teacher, youre the drug counselor, we tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs, and do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience. Dont make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind. And then we feign surprise when periodically the tensions boil over. We know those things to be true. Theyve been true for a long time. We know it. Police, you know it. Protesters, you know it. You know how dangerous some of the communities where these Police Officers serve are. And you pretend as if theres no context . These things we know to be true. And if we cannot even talk about these things, if we cannot talk honestly and openly, not just in the comfort of our own service, but with those who look different than us, or bring a different perspective, then we will never break this dangerous cycle. In the end, it is not about finding policies that work. It is about forging consensus and fighting cynicism and finding the will to make change. Can we do this . Can we find the character as americans to open our hearts to each other . Can we save each other a common humanity and a shared dignity and recognize how our different experiences have shaped us. It doesnt make anybody perfectly good or perfectly bad. It just makes us human. I dont know. I confess that sometimes i, too, experience doubt. Ive been to too many of these things. Ive seen too many families go through this. But then i am reminded of what the lord tells ezekiel. I will give you a new heart, the lord says, and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Thats what we must pray for. Each of us. A new heart. Not a heart of stone. But a heart open to the fears and hopes and challenges of our fellow citizens. Thats what weve seen in dallas these past few days, and thats what we must sustain. Because with an open heart we can learn to stand in each others shoes and look at the world through each others eyes. So that maybe the Police Officer sees his own son in that teenager with a hoodie whos kind of goofing off but not dangerous. And the teenager maybe the teenager will see in the Police Officer the same words and values and authority of his parents. [ applause ] with an open heart, we can abandon the overheated rhetoric and the oversimplification that reduces whole categories of our fellow americans, not just opponents but to enemies. With an open heart those protesting for change will guard against reckless language going forward. Look at the model set by the five officers we mourn today. Acknowledge the progress brought about by the sincere efforts of Police Departments like this one in dallas. And embark on hard, but necessary, work of negotiation, the pursuit of reconciliation. With an open heart Police Departments will acknowledge that just like the rest of us, theyre not perfect. But insisting we do better to root out racial bias is not an attack on cops but an effort to live up to our highest ideals. [ applause ] and i understand these protests i see them. They can be messy. Sometimes they can be hijacked by an irresponsible few. Police can get hurt. Protesters can get hurt. They can be frustrated. But even those who dislike the phrase black lives matter, surely we should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterlings family. [ applause ] when we hear a friend describe him by saying that, whatever he cooked, he cooked enough for everybody, that should sound familiar to us that maybe he wasnt so different than us. So that we can, yes, insist that his life matters. Just as we should hear the students and coworkers describe their affection for Philando Castile as a gentle soul. Mr. Rogers with dreadlocks, they called it. And know that his life mattered to a whole lot of people of all races, of all ages, and that we have to do what we can without putting officers lives at risk. But do better to prevent another life like his from being lost. With an open heart, we can worry less about which side has been wronged, and worry more about joining sides to do right. [ applause ] because the vicious killer of these Police Officers, it wont be the last person who tries to make us turn on one another. The killer in orlando wasnt. Nor was the killer in charleston. We know there is evil in this wor world. Thats why we need Police Departmen departments. [ applause ] but as americans, we can decide that people like this killer will ultimately fail. They will not drive us apart. We can decide to come together and make our country reflect the good inside us, the hopes and simple dreams we share. We also glory in our suffers because we know that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance character, and character hope. For all of us, life presents challenges and suffering. Accidents. Illnesses. Loss of loved ones. There are times when we are overwhelmed by sudden calamity, natural or manmade. All of us, we make mistakes, and at times we are lost. And as we get older, we learn we dont always have control of things. Not even a president does. But we do have control over how we respond to the world. We do have control over how we treat one another. America does not ask us to be perfect, precisely because of our individual imperfections. Our founders gave us institutions to guard against tyranny and ensure no one is above the law. A democracy that gives us the space to work through our differences and debate them peacefully. To make things better, even if it doesnt always happen as fast as wed like. America gives us the capacity to chan change. But as the men we mourn today, these five heroes knew better than most, we cannot take the blessings of this nation for granted. Only by working together can we preserve those institutions of family and community, rights and responsibiliti responsibilities, law and selfgovernment that is the hallmark of this nation. Turns out we do not persevere along. Our character is not found in isolation. Hope does not arise by putting our fellow man down. It is found by lifting others up. [ applause ] and thats what i take away from the lives of these outstanding men. The pain we feel may not soon pass. But my faith tells me that they did not die in vain. I believe our sorrow can make us a better country. I believe our righteous anger can be transformed into more justice and more peace. Weeping may endure for a night but im convinced joy comes in the morning. [ applause ] we cannot match the sacrifices made by officers zamarippa and ahrens, krol, smith and thompson. But surely we can try to match their sense of service. We cannot match their courage. But we can strive to match their devotion. May god bless their memory. May god bless this country that we love. [ applause ] mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord he has his truth is marching on glory glory glory glory hallelujah glory glory glory hallelujah gloria glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on glory glory hall la ya glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah his truth is marching on on on [ applause ] [ cheers and applause ] the president an first lady, and the former president and former first lady, walking off the stage at this beautiful, beautiful interfaiths tribute to five fallen Dallas Police office officers. It was truly a remarkable moment in American History right there. The president clearly speaking from his heart for about 40 minutes saying a lot, a lot about what has happened in our country over the past few days. A lot to assess. Me and many others are here with us. This was a speech that the president carefully prepared. He insisted we must reject such despair. We are not as divided as we may seem. But he then went on to chronicle many of the problems, the racial problems, that still exist in the United States of america. This was a balancing act and it was such a tricky balancing act because he was walking along all this enduring faultline of race and racism. He talked about institutional racism at great length here. This was of course tricky because you have Police Officers here. Hes obviously here because of this tragic event of these five officers who were shot and killed by a man filled with racial hatred. But there the president was talking about black lives matter, talking about the pain of the families of the victims who were killed by Police Officers in baton rouge and in minnesota. He said we have to recognize their pain. We have to recognize the cries and the complaints of the black lives matter movement, as well as the pain thats here in dallas. He used dallas as well as an example, right, of what the Police Officers and Police Departments across the country with do in lessening of the tensions between africanamerican communities and Police Departments. It was a tricky speech. It was deftly delivered. It was also a challenge i think to americans. He said he was quoting the police chief here. He said that often we as a nation ask Police Officers to do too much while we as a country, and as leaders, and as legislators underinvest in some of these communities. I think some people wont like this speech. I think others will think it was deftly delivered, drawing on speech drawing on scripture. Right . The sort of backdrop of Stevie Wonder and gospel music and the spirit of the black church. Race relations have improved dramatically in my lifetime, the president said. He said look what ive experienced in my own lifetime. But he also underscored some of the Serious Problems that exist to this day. No, you cant improve on nias brilliant analysis here. What she said is so sporn because it was a balancing act. He had to acknowledge the epic tide of grief that had all but obscured any sign post of democracy in africanamerican culture and he had to embrace the old landmarks of a tradition passed on from one generation to another with the police. So he had to unite both a washing away and a surging forward. And so also bring healing to the nation. And he was bravely and courageously articulating to that audience which is not his audience to tell them that they must be held accountable when it comes to this notion. He not only brilliantly deployed a notion of structural racism, he said to them, you know it. Dont act like you dont. You know. And by saying that, by personalizing that, he was calling upon them to be honest in their own souls and to recognize it. If blackness was a divisive and killing force, blackness was a healing and redemptive force. The songs that were quoted, the ministers who spoke, the chief of police and the president showed the redemptive character of blackness. Let me say this as well. When people often say, well, the police protected the very people who were running away from injury, and as a result, ironically enough, protected the protesters. That is a return of a favor black america did long ago when it went to foreign territories in europe and fought for a democracy it could not enjoy here. So in that sense, the police are reflecting the prior example of generosity of spirit that black america has shown at its best. I thought former president george w. Bush delivered a very powerful, moving address as well. You could see how moved he was with laura bush there at his side. Very much. Art roderick, you spent your career in Law Enforcement, former u. S. Marshal. Now our cnn Law Enforcement analyst. How will our Law EnforcementCommunity React to what we just heard from the president . Im sure they have the same reactions i do. Five pieces of my heart are gone and i dont know how much i have left. Ive been in Law Enforcement almost 40 years now and ive been to too many of these funerals. 24 years ago i buried my partner, u. S. Marshal bill deegan. He was shot and killed. I was with him. I wish i had chief brown with me at the time to go and talk to his family, his wife, his 13 and 17yearold son, his mom and dad and his sisters at that time. Chief brown gave a great speech. President obama, this is the america i know, was spoton. That was his theme, this is the america i know. He said that several times. Don lemon, im anxious to get your reaction to what we just heard. As someone who is not in washington, d. C. And whos not part of the political class, it is hard for me to go back and, even as an anchor and talk about these things in ways that we have normally talked about them because the president asked for something very specifically. He said he wants americans to have a new heart. He said i will give you a new heart. And so every time we want to retreat to talking points or to left and to right, i think that inhibits a conversation and i think that was a very clear message, not only of this president but of the former president. And for every Single Person who spoke on that stage. I think it is up to people like us, each of us who has his platform of the wolf blitzers of the world the michael eric d dysons of the world, jake tappers of the world, the Rachel Maddows of the world, the gate keepers of the conversation, to be adamant about people who have the privilege to come on National Television and to hold these conversations and to get the attention of the American People to hold them to task, not to come on to give political talking points and not to come on to espouse or own ideologies. I think thats very important from this moment on that we keep things honest and that we have new and open hearts and we stop structuring conversations and allowing people to come on and do those things. Thats just me saying that. Thats what i got from the president of the United States. I think it is going to be very difficult to do that but i think it is the only way for us to do that so that americans in their own homes, in their places where they operate, at their dinner tables, at their places of work, at the malls, at the restaurant, can begin to have these very Difficult Conversations and do not begin to judge each other and rely on the old ways of doing things. Thats what i got from the president. You could tell, don, the president thought long and hard about every sentence he delivered. It all came from his own heart, his own experience. He wroete those words, were told, because it was a powerful moment, a personal moment in his life. Yeah, he did. It was a very difficult rope. He walked a fine line of the rhetorical tight rope that we talk about. He really did and i did a good job of it because he dealt with all of it. He dealt with Excessive Force with Police Officers, racial bias. He said listen, were all guilty of it. He said none of us is entirely innocent. No institution is entirely immune. He said you know. Everybody knows that. He says even pblack lives matte, they should not be undercounted. Can you imagine having the experience that manile black people have and then you say that these protesters are just rabblerousers . Thats insulting. Its also insulting to Police Officers for members of black lives matter not to realize police are in very dangerous neighborhoods and they know the circumstances of that. So we have to become honest in our conversations. We cannot be worried about someone saying, well, white people think this, and black people think this, and republicans think this, and democrats think that. Who really gives a damn about that. We are all americans who must live in this world together, in this america together. We have to go to the same restaurants, same malls, we ride the same trains, we work in the same places. Where else are we going to go . We cant do that as americans, as the greatest country on earth. There have been many nations that have fallen because of political rhetoric. Because they have not listened to each other, because they turned a blind or deaf ear to each other. We cannot do that. This is a crucial moment in time. This is we cant turn back at this point and go back the old way because nothing else will get solved. This should be a moment where we make things better and we make things different and i think each of us should make a commitment to do that. Douglas brinkley is our cnn president ial historian. Doug, you watched this from your unique historical perspective. Your thought. This will be known as this is the america i know speech. I heard echoes of Martin Luther king jr. And abraham lincoln. It was elegantly written. It pulled on scripture at the right times. But he tried to turn dallas into a positive. Meaning the people of dallas. The citizens, police chief david brown, mayor mike rawlings. I think he wanted us to say thats the american spirit what weve seen in dallas, not one or two fools and idiots, evil makers that are going to try to ruin or derail american democracy. I also, wolf, had to think back to when Ronald Reagan did a speech on the challenger and you did bill clinton who did the empty chair speech in oklahoma city. There were powerful memories of that. I think this speech is of that high caliber and it will be remembered of all of the ones that obamas done along with charleston as being the most poignant. In addition to saying this is the america i know, he kept saying i see whats possible, we are one american family. Joshua dubois, the president s former faith advisor in the white house, did anything you heard from the president surprise you . Because you know him well. The first thing, wolf, i thought it was a deeply humble speech. I thought it was striking to me that the president was acknowledging, listen, i dont even know if my words are going to have an impact and change things but im going to do my best, ill be in the arena and fight for our democracy, im going to fight for this union and i need you all to fight alongside me. So i thought there was a humility there. I also thought it was really interesting that he sort of redrew the lines of our democracy a little bit. He put protesters and police that are protecting protesters on one side. One group is fighting racial bias and injustice, the other group is fighting to make sure that voices can be heard. On the other side are those who would do violence, who would divide us, either violence against black men who are unarmed or violence against Police Officers. He was saying lets join the side of those who are working to perfect our union. Thought it was remarkable the way he sort of redrew the boundaries of debate. I thought it was a very spiritual speech as well from romans 5 to ezekiel and all the way through really evoking scripture in this deeply poignant moment. It was a deeply honest and humble speech ultimately and i think one of the most powerful ive heard the president give. I would agree. I think this is number 11 of the speeches. When hes gone to a community thats suffered unimaginable loss and hes tried to be the comforter, as they say, comforter in chief. Scripture plays an Important Role in his life. Take us a little bit behind the scenes because you know him very well. Yeah. Was able to communicate a bit with him and the team before the speech and he wanted to evoke something that would convey that this life that were in is a process and it is a process that will have deeply brutal painful moments but were being perfected. There is hope around the corner. Thats why he put in 5 romans. Thats why he put in perseverance character, character hope. Letting folks who were mourning and also the entire know that were in the middle of a process here. In some ways these are the labor pains of a country thats still really fully being born. So he wanted to convey that there was hope around the corner. So i think thats he draws on scripture for hope and i thought he tried to deploy scripture to give people a sense of hope throughout this speech. What did you think of former president george w. Bushs address, joshua . It was remarkable. I obviously have all sorts of policy differences with president bush. But we were reminded of the best qualities of that man. I thought it was a nuanced speech. I thought he really focused in on that comforter in chief moment, speaking directly to those families and letting them know that he is a part of their family both there in dallas, tax a dk texas and the broader american family. I was very impressed with president bushs words. He has a quiet way about him but it is a quiet fire. It really has an impact when he speaks. Certainly does. Lets not forget the five Police Officers who were honored at this interfaith Memorial Service. Honored by christian minister, an imam and a rabbi. Lets take a closer look at each one. Brent thompson, 42 years old. A Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police officer. He was the first officer to die in that agencys line of duty. Nearly sevenyear veteran of the transit force. Got married only two weeks or so ago. His widow, a fellow transit officer. Only 43 years old. Patrick zamarippa, 32 years old. A u. S. Navy veteran, he was deployed to the persian gulf, served in bahrain as part of the iraq war effort. He was the father of two children. Greatly loved by his family. Michael krol, 40 years old. He worked earlier at the Wayne County Sheriffs Office in michigan from 2003 to 2007. His lifelong dream was always to be a Police Officer. Lorne ahrens, 48 years old, served in the Los Angeles CountySheriffs Department for more than ten years from 1991 to 2002. He left that department as a Law Enforcement technician on january 23rd, 2002, officially began his service with the Dallas Police department two days later. Lorne ahrens. And michael smith, 55 years old, a devoted family man to his wife heidi, two daughters who are 14 and 9 years old. He joined the Police Department in dallas back in 1989. Lets remember all of them for their heroic effort in protecting all of us and all the Police Officers who were on the line of duty and risked their lives for us every day. Well be right back. The wolf was huffing and puffing. Like you do sometimes, grandpa . Well, when you have copd, it can be hard to breathe. It can be hard to get air out, which can make it hard to get air in. So i talked to my doctor. She said. Symbicort could help you breathe better, starting within 5 minutes. Symbicort doesnt replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. Symbicort helps provide significant improvement of your lung function. Symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It should not be taken more than twice a day. Symbicort contains formoterol. Medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. Symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. You should tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Symbicort could mean a day with better breathing. Watch out, piggies children giggle symbicort. Breathe better starting within 5 minutes. Call or go online to learn more about a free trial offer. If you cant afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. Were back now live on cnn after the Memorial Service in dallas, texas. A very moving service. Speeches given by all. I want to bring in my panel now, we have angela rye, a former executive director of the congressional black caucus. I want you to listen to the president who talked about he wasnt even sure his own words were adequate. Im not naive. I have spoken at too many memorials during the course of this presidency. I have hugged too many families and lost loved up wiones from senseless violence. I have seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change. I have seen how inadequate my own words have been. It is easier said than done when talking about when having these conversations, the president saying these words, and putting them into practical use for our lives. The president said he believes we can all do it considering where the country was started and where we have come from, did you talk about that in that meeting how to have these conversations and how to put what he says into practice in. I heard his speech today, and i was saying he is thoughtfully consistent. When he walked into the room yesterday, he was seated there with the Vice President , and i had no idea he was coming in. I said lets get together and have a conversation about it. He was consistently concerned about americas future. How do we do this and not politically and i know that youre a political analyst, but how do we have conversations where we can listen to each other, that is where it will come from. I have you on the show, you disagree with people viamently sometimes. You talked about what the president said with a renewed and opened heart. Im a human being with a heart, twitter trolls get to me as much as anyone else. The president ask the a question earlier on, how do our different experiences shape us. And will we just know that our experiences are different. And until question have that conversation without any defenses, were going to keep coming back to the same point. The only person sitting here, not of color, which should not matter, and your perspective is welcome here. Can we get to a point where we do that in this country . My professional training doesnt put me in a position to answer that any better than anyone else. Im a natural born opt mis. Im a historian and teacher. So when i think about the progress that we have made in our country, i know that we have moments when we fall back and we lose that progress, we generally tend to catch up. Were in a moment if i may say this when it looks like we have fallen behind. Some of the gains we made seem to be evaporating. And i have been thinking lately about 1968, another period marked by political violence. After Martin Luther kings death, Robert Kennedy was in indianapolis and he said the tears of sadness fall on a rock and one hopes you will gain wisdom through the awful grace of god. And we all hope that we gain wisdom through these tragedies to do better. And the discussion about how this is not an america i know, and president push talking about one country and one destiny is talking about those moments toog, but each and every citizen has an option of getting better. I think you put it very well. The president wants to know how to come to a consensus about this, you said youre a human being first, and then we go into what else we are, and i think it is important, but i think we need to keep a perspective on this. And in the mind the number of lives that we have lost, and how many times this president has spoken out about this, at least 11 times. That means dozens of families, and dozens of people who have grieved, just in the last eight years this man has been president. So i hope you took this speech to heart, and that we figure out how to do things differently in a better way. One thing that we all have in common, were word, american. Were all american. Our special coverage continues in a moment with jake tapper