I find myself out of words. What has happened in CT is unimaginable. Horrific. Devastating.
I'm not going to repeat others' wonderful lists of things that might help the Newtown community. You've seen them and are probably doing something, too. For my part, I've called the President, I've signed some petitions, I'm going to send a donation to the Newtown Youth and Family Services, and I'm hugging the kids extra close.
I also just read Nicholas Kristof's excellent op-ed in the NYT in which he argues that guns are a public health crisis, not an issue of freedom or privacy. He asks why we don't regulate guns as strictly as we regulate cars, and he's right. So many Americans die from gun violence--we cannot allow our otherwise responsible and democratic society to continue this madness. Let's step up, together, and get the courage to stand up and demand change.
Rachael, I saw that op-ed, too, and still I worry that gun control won't be enough ... what about people who walk around with bombs in their shoes? Or who come up with other ways to harm? Violence of any kind is too easy ... and while I don't understand why anyone needs an assault rifle, I also think that there are too many ways to hurt innocent people to start controlling for them all.
ReplyDeleteSomething more needs to happen, besides (in addition to?) taking away the guns. Because there are some very angry, lonely, confused people out there that think violence will make them feel better. And something must have given them that idea.
My heart aches for those families every time I think of an empty chair, an empty bed. This should not be.