Mayor: The OKC Bombing Taught Us Evil Must Be Resisted | Opinion

Editor’s Note: This commentary has been adapted from the remarks made by Mayor Holt during the 30th occasion. ^th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 2025.

Matthew 6:34 says, "So don’t worry about tomorrow; each day will have its own concerns. Tomorrow’s troubles are enough without adding them to today."

Humans often discuss what lies ahead tomorrow. In "Macbeth," the character expressed weariness towards tomorrow. The Bible frequently cautions against excessive concern over future events. However, I believe that generally speaking, tomorrow embodies hope. This sentiment resonated with both Scarlett O'Hara and Fleetwood Mac. Tomorrow stands as an unmarked canvas ready to be filled. Despite nobody being guaranteed a tomorrow, we all rely on it and cherish this prospect closely, akin to holding onto a winning lottery ticket. It might offer us a more favorable day compared to today’s circumstances. On certain days, it seems almost inevitable that tomorrow will improve upon today.

On April 19th, 1995, from one perspective, the residents of Oklahoma City undoubtedly felt this sentiment. Could things possibly improve moving forward into tomorrow? Yet, at a deeper level, everyone understood that the pain experienced on April 19th would continue to bind them even after that day. Numerous households realized that their loved ones would remain absent just as much tomorrow as they did today.

There have been almost 11,000 days since the explosion occurred. As a community, these days have indeed fulfilled every bit of hope and potential we might have dreamed of. Unquestionably, one dark day has been succeeded by three decades filled with brightness in Oklahoma City.

We have invested billions of dollars into our quality of life, often fueled by unifying community choices that transcended partisanship or other things that might divide us. We are drawing new residents from around the country; we’re now America’s 20 ^th -the largest city. Our economy is varied, our low unemployment rate has been setting records continuously, and new projects launch each month.

Our collective identity stems from a base of achievements and/or basketball, certainly not anything violent like a bombing. We've unleashed our Thunder in an attempt at a landmark NBA playoff journey. By 2028, we'll host participants globally for seven events during the Los Angeles Olympics in our city. This month marked 136 years since our city was founded, with the past thirty years undeniably being its most prosperous era. No one familiar with and fond of Oklahoma City could argue against this notion.

For those who suffered greatly on April 19th, 1995, for those who made it through alive, and for those whose lives were irrevocably altered, these 11,000 days since then have come with both joy and sorrow. Even as new milestones such as weddings, births, graduations, and achievements unfolded, they also carried reminders like an absent seat at the table, haunting memories, or sobering realizations about humanity’s capacity for cruelty. To every individual here, my sincere wish is that this community continues to strive towards supporting everyone affected. The term "hope" seems fitting here due to how insufficient merely being present might seem to some. We yearn to bring back your beloved ones and alleviate your suffering; yet realizing we cannot, we hold onto the belief that contributing positively aligns with what it means to uphold the Oklahoma Standard.

As your mayor, I assure you that nothing will take precedence over our dedication to you and your family who have suffered greatly. This commitment was initially pledged by President Clinton, yet we all endorse it together. Tomorrow frequently embodies hope, but it also signifies a steadfast promise—a testament that an oath will persist into the future. We all reaffirm this dedication today on this thirtieth anniversary. ^th anniversary when we commit to standing beside you for countless tomorrows to come.

I also wish to express a connected commitment that will endure beyond all deadlines and our lifetimes.

Across more than eight annual speeches, I've advocated for love, empathy, honesty, and improved dialogues. I’ve encouraged embracing diversity and looking beyond factors that could separate us—such as political views, ethnic backgrounds, or religious beliefs—and focusing instead on our countless similarities. I’ve condemned dehumanizing rhetoric and divisiveness, urging people to reflect upon the waters of the memorial pond and assess if individuals uphold the Oklahoma Standard through their speech, online presence, and deeds. This responsibility begins with each citizen of Oklahoma City but extends nationwide, particularly encompassing elected representatives and anyone in the spotlight.

I've frequently discussed over the past eight years how time marches on. This concept is particularly prominent as we approach this 30th anniversary. ^th anniversary is a milestone in the measurement of time.

Thirty years undoubtedly marks a turning point. Ten years feels like just a moment ago. Twenty years is shorter than a single generation. However, three decades strikes differently. Many of us must now acknowledge that we've lived more days behind us than those ahead.

Maybe this truth underscores our duty not only towards those families most profoundly impacted but also highlights an additional responsibility we hold in Oklahoma City. This commitment transcends time and will endure beyond us. It involves confronting and opposing the elements that fostered the conditions leading to such malevolence, indeed addressing every instance of wickedness throughout human history.

Despite fading memories, residents here carry an indelible mark at our urban core—a spot once bustling with workers tending to their community. The area where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building stood remains serene under towering majestic trees; however, the rough-hewn segments of concrete stand as reminders of that wound, symbols of human actions against one another when we lack compassion, understanding, recognition of commonality, respect for others’ dignity, belief in unfounded suspicions, readiness to bypass nonviolent civic procedures including resorting to force, and susceptibility to radical ideologies that transform children into warriors within their delusional conflicts.

Humans are highly unlikely to ever fully shed our capacity for evil, but evil can be answered and kept at bay. Evil must be answered. And the residents of this city must always be the protectors of a commitment to do so.

Perhaps on this 30 ^th On this anniversary, akin to a relay runner in one of our commemorative marathons, we are starting to hand off the torch of that dedication. This torch of commitment will now be carried by P.J. Allen, Rebecca and Brandon Denny, Joseph Webb, Nekia McCloud, and Chris Nguyen—the six children who endured the bombing and lived through it. It will also be held by Clint Seidl, Krista Doll, Dina Abulon, Hilary Johnson, Dionce Thomas, along with the 249 children who tragically lost one or both parents that fateful day. These young individuals were the ones closest to us who directly witnessed these events.

However, this pledge will also be upheld by those too young to recall the events. It will be maintained by the 38 members of the Memorial Teen Board. My children, George and Maggie, who are nearly at the same age as I was during the explosion, will carry forward this promise. They create videos about the bombing aimed at middle-school students which can be found on YouTube. This commitment will continue with your children and grandchildren. And it will endure through future generations standing here fifty years from now. ^th On the anniversary and the 90th commemoration, all present will shift their attention to a person in a wheelchair onstage who will inquire of the final surviving individual about their experiences. Even as countless tomorrows pass, the resolve shown by the citizens of Oklahoma City to oppose malevolence should persist.

I am grateful to each of you and those who will join us in this journey, as it will demand every tomorrow that awaits us.

David Holt serves as the mayor of Oklahoma City.

The article initially appeared in The Oklahoman. Mayor: A key takeaway from the OKC bombing is that we must confront and resist evil | Opinion