The day our country died

The end of the world as predicted by the Mayan's on December 21, 2012 was as over hyped as the Year 2000 rollover doomsayers. However, maybe the Mayans were off by a week  in their predictions as it felt like our country  died  on December 14, 2012 at 9:30 AM. along with 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary. 

Part of me died all over again as I heard the news of the latest mass shooting, so close to the pain and heartbreak in my community last July.  We buried one six year old girl, Veronica Mosher.

 I can only imagine the pain that the community in Newton has to endure as they face saying goodbye to 20 young children. 

Today church bells rang 26 times across the United States at 9:30 to remember the lives that were taken from us a week ago. 

Charlotte Bacon 6

Daniel Barden 7

Rachel Davino 29

Olivia Engel 6

Josephine Gay 7

Ana Marquez-Greene 6

Dylan Hockley 6

Dawn Hocksprung 47

Madeleine Hsu 6

Catherine Hubbard 6

Chase Kowalski 7

Nancy Lanza 52

Jesse Lewis 6

James Mattioli 6

Grace McDonnell 7

Anne Marie Murphy 52

Emilie Parker 6

Jack Pinto 6

Noah Pozner 6

Caroline Previdi 6

Jessica Rekos 6

Avielle Richman 6

Lauren Rousseau 30

Mary Sherlach 56

Victoria Soto 27

Benjamin Wheeler 6

Allison Wyatt 6

The cast from The Voice sang a beautiful tribute to those that were killed. 

I did my best, it wasn't much

I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch

I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you

And even though it all went wrong

I'll stand before the Lord of Song

With nothing on my tongue but Halleujah

"We know this is a complex issue that stirs deeply held passions and political divides. And as I said on Sunday night, there's no law or set of laws that can prevent every senseless act of violence in our society. We're going to need to work on making access to mental health care at least as easy as access to a gun. We're going to need to look more closely at a culture that all too often glorifies guns and violence. And any actions we must take must begin inside the home and inside our hearts."

"But the fact that this problem is complex can no longer be an excuse for doing nothing. The fact that we can't prevent every act of violence doesn't mean we can't steadily reduce the violence, and prevent the very worst violence."~President Barack Obama

Natalie Braden's letter to President Barack Obama and her perspective of gun control at the age of 10.  Can we all find our voice and choose to make a difference as Natalie is doing for her brother Daniel?

As Hannah Brencher said in a recent blog post on Facebook,  "There are no words for a bit of this."  

I agree with her and yet we have to find our voices, without judgement, without rancor and  make a stand for these young children, for our country. 

With apologies to Don McLean. 

"And the three men I admire most

the father, son and the holy ghost
they caught the last train for the coast
the day... our country died." 

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