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the streets of heaven

FROM: The West Wing, " 20 Hours in America: Part II", Season 4
Written by Aaron Sorkin

…securing peace in a time of global conflict, sustaining hope in this winter of anxiety and fear. More than any time in recent history America's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedoms and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive.

Forty four people were killed a couple of hours ago at Kenneson State University. Three swimmers from the men's team were killed and two others are in critical condition when after having heard the explosion from their practice facility they ran into the fire to help get people out. Ran into the fire. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. They're our students and our teachers and our parents and our friends. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight.

But every time we've measured our capacity to meet a challenge we look up and we're reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars.


Patriotic? Cheesy? Whatever. It rocks in my book.

A Google search also revealed that Tom Hanks said similar words during his Oscars acceptance speech when he won Best Actor for the movie PHILADELPHIA:

And there lies my dilemma here tonight. I know that my work in this case is magnified by the fact that the streets of Heaven are too crowded with angles. We know their names. They number a thousand for each of the red ribbons we wear here tonight. They finally rest in the warm embrace of the gracious creator of us all. A healing embrace that cools their fevers, that clears their skin, and allows their eyes to see the simple, self-evident commonsense truth that is made manifest by the benevolent creator of us all, and was written down on paper by wise men, tolerant men, in the city of Philadelphia two hundred years ago. God bless you all, God have mercy on us all, and God bless America.

But at the top of the Google search is this song by Sherrie Austin called "Streets of Heaven":

Hello God, it's me again. 2:00 a.m., Room 304.
Visiting hours are over, time for our bedside tug of war.
This sleeping child between us may not make it through the night.
I'm fighting back the tears as she fights for her life.
Well, it must be kind of crowded,
On the streets of Heaven.
So tell me: what do you need her for?
Don't you know one day she'll be your little girl forever.

So, who was the first one to really write / use that line? It's wonderful image.
It's a powerful image. Makes me shudder and get teary eyed.

But don't mind me. I'm drunk from the office Christmas party and I didn't win any of the dozen iPods that were raffled off.

I'm going home to sleep.

(Or watch more WEST WING.)

Thanks to: http://nslog.com/archives/2003/05/24/tori.php for providing the complete quote from WEST WING.



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