English subtitles for clip: File:2009-11-07 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv

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The President:
I'd like to speak with you for
a few minutes today about the

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tragedy that took
place at Ft. Hood.

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This past Thursday, on
a clear Texas afternoon,

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an Army psychiatrist walked into
the Soldier Readiness Processing

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Center, and began shooting
his fellow soldiers.

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It's an act of violence
that would have been heartbreaking

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had it occurred
anyplace in America.

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It's a crime that would have
horrified us had its victims

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been Americans of
any background.

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But it's all the more
heartbreaking and all the more

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despicable because of the
place where it occurred and the

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patriots who were its victims.

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The SRP is where our men and
women in uniform go before

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getting deployed.

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It's where they get their
teeth checked and their medical

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records updated and make sure
everything is in order before

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getting shipped out.

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It was in this place, on a base
where our soldiers ought to feel

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most safe, where those brave
Americans who are preparing to

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risk their lives in
defense of our nation,

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lost their lives in a
crime against our nation.

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Soldiers stationed
in Iraq, Afghanistan,

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and around the world called
and emailed loved ones at Ft.

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Hood, all expressing the same
stunned reaction: I'm supposed

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to be the one in
harm's way, not you.

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Thursday's shooting was one
of the most devastating ever

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committed on an
American military base.

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And yet, even as we saw the
worst of human nature on full

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display, we also saw
the best of America.

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We saw soldiers and civilians
alike rushing to the aid fallen

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comrades; tearing off
bullet-riddled clothes to treat

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the injured; using
blouses as tourniquets;

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taking down the shooter even
as they bore wounds themselves.

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We saw soldiers bringing to bear
on our own soil the skills they

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had been trained to use abroad;
skills that been honed through

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years of determined effort for
one purpose and one purpose

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only: to protect and defend
the United States of America.

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We saw the valor, selflessness,
and unity of purpose that makes

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our servicemen and women the
finest fighting force on Earth;

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that make the United States
military the best the world has

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ever known; and that make all
of us proud to be Americans.

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On Friday, I met with
FBI Director Mueller,

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Defense Secretary Gates, and
representatives of the relevant

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agencies to discuss their
ongoing investigation into what

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led to this terrible crime.

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And I'll continue to be in
close contact with them as new

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information comes in.

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We can't fully know what leads
a man to do such a thing.

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But what we do know is that our
thoughts are with every single

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one of the men and women
who were injured at Ft. Hood.

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Our thoughts are with all the
families who've lost a loved one

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in this national tragedy.

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And our thoughts are with
all the Americans who wear --

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or have worn -- the proud uniform
of the United States of America;

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our soldiers, sailors,
airmen, Marines,

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and coast guardsmen,
and the military families

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who love and support them.

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In tribute to those
who fell at Ft. Hood,

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I've ordered flags flying
over the White House,

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and other federal buildings to
be lowered to half-staff from

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now until Veterans
Day next Wednesday.

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Veterans Day is our chance to
honor those Americans who've

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served on battlefields
from Lexington to Antietam,

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Normandy to Manila, Inchon to
Khe Sanh, Ramadi to Kandahar.

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They are Americans of every
race, faith, and station.

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They're Christians and
Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers.

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They are descendents of
immigrants and immigrants themselves.

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They reflect the diversity
that makes this America.

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But what they share is a
patriotism like no other.

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What they share is a commitment
to country that has been tested

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and proved worthy.

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What they share is the
same unflinching courage,

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unblinking compassion,
and uncommon camaraderie that

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soldiers and civilians of Ft. Hood
showed America and showed the world.

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These are the men and
women we honor today.

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These are the men and women
we honor on Veterans Day.

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And these are the men and
women we shall honor every day,

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in times of war
and times of peace,

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so long as our nation endures.