One of the victims of last night’s devastating church shooting in Charleston was the congregation’s pastor, state Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney. He was 41 years old and had served in the state legislature for nearly 20 years. I didn’t know him, but the reactions rolling in begin to give you a sense of the esteem in which he was held. Below is video of a wonderful talk he gave a couple of years ago at his church — Mother Emanuel — about its history and role in the African American community.
Standing near where he would later die, Pinckney said in his stentorian voice, “Where you are is a very special place in Charleston …”
