The Augsburg University community mourns the tragic assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the attempted assassination of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, on June 14. Our prayers are with their families and neighbors in this distressing time.
Both Representative Hortman and Senator Hoffman have been exemplary public servants who shared our deep commitments to the role of education in Minnesota and beyond. We will miss Speaker Hortman’s keen intellect, calm demeanor, and political savvy, and we wish Senator Hoffman a speedy recovery.
We live in polarized times, which, as we teach our students, require empathy and grace if we are to live together. Violence is never the way forward and we grieve this moment for all of us.