Presidential Candidate Joe Biden’s Video Message For El Pasoans

On Monday, the City of El Paso mourned as a community as we remembered the horrific events that took place at the Cielo Vista Walmart one year ago. Remembrances were held around the city, as well as individual homes. Residents placed luminarias on their front porches to honor the victims of the August 3rd shooting. Others also took the time to reflect on the shooting and events since, and national media outlets also mentioned the anniversary but not in great detail. As the 6th most deadly mass shooting in the United States, you would expect there to be greater recognition from our country's leaders, but sadly we didn't see much. President Donald Trump didn't acknowledge the one-year anniversary of the shooting at all, and the Texas Governor tweeted out a short statement denouncing the hate displayed on that day and saying flags would be flown at half-mast Monday:

After all the time that was spent in El Paso visiting victims, seeing the Walmart, and speaking to residents of our community, I would expect a slightly longer statement, and even possibly a video offering support and condolences for those affected by that day's events. But there was one man who took the time out of his busy schedule to record a somber statement offering condolences and support to El Pasoans on a day that all of us still have difficulty facing.

Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden released a video discussing his own grief he has experienced in his personal life. Biden discussed how the losses he has dealt with in his life changed him, and how he was able to keep hope alive in his heart. The video is a touching moment of a human sharing his own heartache with you, not a promotional political video. Thank you, Joe Biden, for making this message for the City of El Paso to give us these still very much needed words of encouragement.