Today is December 14, 2022 – 10 years ago to the day since the Sandy Hook mass shooting of the children and teachers at the elementary school. Can you imagine being a parent and preparing for Christmas, and having a 7 year old so excited about Santa Claus? It’s ten days before Christmas and the excitement is building. Even in the schools it’s the final week before the holiday break and special parties and programs are being prepared.
It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.
It’s supposed to be the time of peace and goodwill to men and women.
The unthinkable tragedy that happened ten years ago today is beyond heartbreaking. In fact I think it is so hard that many people prefer not to think about it, to put it in the past, to forget that horrible day. I had CNN on earlier and they were reporting on this ‘anniversary’ and it was still so difficult to watch.
But the parents of those innocent children never will be able to do that. Every year now as they prepare for Christmas they relive December 14th, and all the horror of their blooded children shot dead in their decorated classroom.
The parents from Uvalde, the families of the Las Vegas dead, and all the other mass shootings in the United States (too many to name them all) will somehow get through Christmas again without their loved ones, so many of those gone by gun violence were so young.
You are thinking, geez Marla, what a Debbie Downer you are! Gun violence in America is just going to happen. Move on. Forget it. Be happy at Christmastime. Well, my biggest wish for Christmas is that we collectively do something about the gun epidemic we have in this country. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus, and the impact of his time on earth, we have to think about his teachings. It was about loving your neighbor, working towards peace, turning the other cheek. It was about helping those in need – in anyway. It was not about arming yourself, or fearing others, or putting your rights before others – especially children.
Today is an extremely sad day in our country. The mass murder of 7 year olds at school – and since then we have done NOTHING to stop it from happening so easily again. We may not stop all of them, but we haven’t even tried to make guns safer, to limit gun ownership, and limit the types of weapons we allow citizens to purchase. It is disgraceful. It is beyond callus for those parents who hurt from our non-action.
So, I apologize to the survivors. I send a hug to all the parents today hurting.
I will continue to work on some changes to make America less gun-crazy, and more peaceful – through voting, through donations, through peaceful demonstrations, and through expressing myself here and wherever I can. I can not live my life as a Christian without putting children above guns.
I will always remember my daughter’s entire grade singing at their holiday school program so many, many years ago “Let their be Peace on earth – and let it begin with me.” Out of the mouths of babes. Let them grow up. Let their parents and grandparents know they are safe from mass shootings at schools. Just do something.
Marla’s Musings 