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CNN NEWSROOM
Memorial Service for Fallen Dallas Police Officers. Aired 2:30- 3p ET
Aired July 12, 2016 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:30:00] SEN. JOHN CORNYN, (R), TEXAS: 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, it's my honor to welcome to the podium the 43rd president of the United States, part of our Texas family, and a man which along with his bride, Laura, proudly call this community their home.
President George W. Bush.
(APPLAUSE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: 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. We're 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)
BUSH: These slain officers were the best among us. Lorne Ahrens, beloved husband and father of two. Michael Krol, daring 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)
BUSH: With their deaths, we have lost so much. We are grief stricken, heartbroken, and forever grateful. Officer has accepted 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 t 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)
[14:34:24] BUSH: 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 nation's 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 he 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 they're trained and trusted and accountable, they free us from fear. The Apostle Paul said, "For God 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 to conclude with the 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 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 than death. May God bless you.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leadership is hard. Great leadership is very unique. We experienced that leadership this week with the chiefs of our DART and DPD offices. I want to say thanks to DART Chief James Spiller for what you have done.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 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)
(CHEERING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A man --
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 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.
(CHEERING)
[14:40:] DAVID BROWN, DALLAS POLICE CHIEF: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
BROWN: 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 --
(LAUGHTER)
-- to get a date.
(LAUGHTER)
So for girls I liked, I would pull out some al green or some Teddy Pendergrass --
(LAUGHTER)
-- or some Easley Brothers and I'd 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)
BROWN: --to fully express the love I had for them -- for the girl."
So today, I'm going to pull out some Stevie Wonder for these fans --
(APPLAUSE)
BROWN: -- 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 life's you wish you were born in another time and place. But you can bet your life time that, and twice its double, that God knew exactly where you wanted you to be placed. So make sure when you say you're not in it, but not of it, you're 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 children's grandchildren and their great, great grandchildren will tell them I'll be loving you. Until the rainbow burns, the stars out of the sky, I'll be loving you. Until the ocean covers every mountain high, I'll be loving you. Until the dolphin flies and the parrots live at the sea. I'll be loving you. Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream, I'll be loving you. Until the day is night and night becomes the day, I'll be loving you. Until the trees and seas, up, up and fly away, I'll be loving you. Until the day that eight times eight times eight times eight is four, I'll be loving you. Until the day that is the day that are no more, I'll be loving you. Until the day the earth starts turning right to left, I'll be loving you. Until the earth, just for the sun, denies itself, I'll be loving you. Until Mother Nature says her work is through, I'll be loving you. Until the day that you are me and I am you. Now ain't that loving you?"
(APPLAUSE)
BROWN: "Until the rainbow burns, the stars out of the sky. Ain't that loving you? Until the ocean covers every mountain top and I've got to say, always, I'll be loving you always."
[14:45:18] And there's 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.
(CHEERING)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Thank you very much.
Mr. President and Mrs. Bush, my friend, the vice president, Dr. Biden, Mayor Rawlings, Chief Spiller, clergy, members of Congress, Chief Brown, I'm so glad I met Michelle first, because she loves Stevie Wonder.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE) (LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: But most of all, the families and friends and colleagues and fellow officers. That in our sufferings, there is glory. Because we know that suffering produces 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. We're here to honor 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 good- bye, and you head to work. But your work and the work of police officers across the country is like no other. From 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 harm's 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 she's 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 man. And the next night, Katrina had to tell their children that their dad was gone. They don't get it yet, their grandma said. They don't know what to do quite yet.
[14:50:49] 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 Thanksgiving. That was the last time he'd 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 Cop's Award. A man of deep faith, when he was off duty, he could be found at church or playing 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 he liked to post videos of himself and his kids on social media. On Thursday night, while Patrick went to work, his partner, Christy, posted 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 weren't looking for their names to be up in lights. They'd tell you the pay was decent, but wouldn't 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 don't 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 law, that the maintenance of that law is a hard and daily labor, that in this country we don't 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.
[14:54:38] And that's 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 P.D. 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 tragedy.
I know that Americans are struggling right now with what we've 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 that has 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 they've 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 African-American community that feels unfairly targeted by police and police departments that feel unfairly maligned for doing their jobs can ever understand each other's experience. We turn on the TV or surf the Internet and we can watch 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 it's hard not to think sometimes that the center won't hold and that things might get worse. I understand.
I understand how Americans are feeling. But, Dallas, I'm here to say we must reject such despair. I'm here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem. And I know that because I know America. I know how far we've come against impossible odds.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I know we'll make it because of what I've experienced in my own life. What I've seen of this country and its people, their goodness and decency as president of the United States. And I know it because of what we've 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, and saved more lives than we will ever know.
(APPLAUSE)
