Op-Ed: Great start, Mr. President. Bring on more mass pardons
I want to express gratitude to the president for his remarks today. They had a profound effect on my family, as we have lived through several very tough years, which have left us wondering how the country stands in the wake of this most devastating event. I was watching him in the moment, and what struck me was the calm, unruffled composure. This is not some hippie guy who likes to preach at you. He was talking the way a grown-up talks to your son or daughter who has been going through a hard time, and he had evident strength in his voice and in his countenance. He conveyed the confidence of an old man, but also the courage of a boy who wants to make his way, and has the capacity for forgiveness, and the ability to embrace life with a smile, and to give love.
This was a time when I was on the way to a mass pardon for the late-term prisoner in Ohio — which I would have approved as my own personal acknowledgement. I have been praying for his family over the years, and for you and all the families of the fallen soldiers. I know it was hard, and I know the cost of this war will be far more costly. And we all know the terrible disorder that is in these streets. What is even more difficult is to remember that we need to bring the fallen home from the war, and you need to pardon them, and we need to pardon the men like you today who are standing up for what is right. I know you have spent many hours praying for us, too, and for the families of the dead.
The fact is, we live in a very violent world. Our children and our children’s children are in harm’s way every single day, even as we speak to you. The difference is, there is a possibility for change. And every life is important, and we must treat them all with respect, and with the care that they deserve. This is not a partisan thing. It is about patriotism, and it is about honor. This is your president, and it is about respect, and it is about integrity. We need you to know what is at