I listened to her describe how her life has changed and it sounded to me as a loss of innocence.
When I reflect on her words she was able to put me into a place where I can understand the immense innocence most Americans enjoy everyday. We don't have gunmen in schools. Our laws demand us to be good people. Killing each other is not really an option, at least, not until laws such as "Stand Your Ground."
But, for the most part, many Americans can rely on a civil world from day to day, moment to moment. That was lost at Sandy Hook. To be completely be honest, when I look across the spectrum of domestic gun violence in mass killings, there are very few survivors that don't lose their innocence in the very same way of Ms. Clements. Their lives are so disrupted, they have to do something to put it back the way it used to be. They are profoundly changed. Their Americanism is definitely disrupted. They can't find their civilized life again, but, they try like hell.
By Andrei Nikitchyuk
My son, (click here) a third-grader nick-named “Bear,” went to school on Friday, like any normal day. At school that day, he was the classroom helper with another child and had the job of walking the attendance sheet to the principal’s office....
...He describes his experience as hearing gunshots and “seeing” bullets come by them, turning toward them to see what’s going on, but — thankfully — smoke clouded his view.
Our kids were so lucky. A heroic teacher, Abbey Clements, whom we can never sufficiently thank, saw them in the hallway and pulled him into her classroom. I have no way to describe how I feel about the wonderful kids, teachers and families that were not as lucky. How hard I (and we all) wish we could “run the tape” back and prevent this tragedy.
Here’s what I want to say to each and every one of you:
I used to be part of the silent majority of people around this beautiful country that saw how weaponized and unsafe our society became, but kept our silence.
I thought guns are a part of American history. Many people know how to handle them and keep them safe. Our politicians know what they are doing and the situation will be corrected.
Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, chipped at those beliefs, but I averted my eyes. On Friday, this belief has been shattered for me, my wife, my relatives and friends, and — most important — my kids. It’s been long overdue, but it’s clear to me I have to speak up....
I am sure Abbey remembers being a hero to her kids and the people of Sandy Hook.
I am fairly sure when this happens in a town it literally rattles the framework of life and compels people to action. Rightfully so. Taking action to return Americanism to our communities is exactly what the survivors need and what the rest of the country needs. It is so completely wrong a political element such as the NRA and other gun groups have turned the USA into a place where Americanism no longer exists in a growing number of communities. How could we let this happen?
The corruption of the Republicans when it comes to cronys reigning supreme is so very obvious during the Obama Administration. They didn't care and they still don't care.
The mass murders in our community comes at a time when an extremist Supreme Court has turned money loose on the American public in their elections.
The message the survivors carry is not wrong, but, there are other dynamics playing within our government that holds them at bay. And that is the way I see this. They should continue to carry the message Americans need to hear. Other Americans need to hear how lucky they are to have never experienced such an event in their lives. Other Americans need to believe that message and realize how completely innocent their lives are as well as the lives of their children. A violent event will change all that and most probably change it forever.
