Last week, a society, a country, a culture, viewed the worst humanity has to offer. In a few terrifying moments, a creature of evil exposed his darkness in the glow of the silver screen, forever marring the lives of those anticipating an exciting, temporary diversion from real life. During a summer tradition, the blockbuster action movie was edited into a dramatic horror show by a cruel, demented, and unspeakable act of selfishness, sickness, and control. 

Motivated by hatred while donning a costume of death, this actor whose only objective was to harm, thrust himself out of obscurity and into the spotlight. In altering the lives of so many innocents and affecting a nation, he revealed his only talent is one of thievery. He is a thief of hearts, a thief of life, a thief of hope, a thief of dreams. 

At that moment in time, more than the magic of the movie experience was changed forever; our hearts ache for the people of Aurora, Colorado. There are few words, if any, to ease the pain. If only a heroic protagonist had crossed this demon's path long before his revolting performance... But sadly, things like that only happen in the movies.

America's present need is not heroics, but healing; not nostrums but normalcy; not revolution, but restoration. ~ Warren G. Harding