12/18/12

Connecticut.

I had been putting off writing this because it was too much like touching an open wound, over and over again. Still sore, still shocked.

 

I grew up in Connecticut until I was ten. I lived in a small town, an hour away from Newtown. I grew up just like those kids planned they would, in the safety net of a small community. I grew up with people who went on to be personally involved or affected by the shooting. This was my home. 

(My Angel Sister, Katie, who goes to college in CT at a candle vigil Friday night)

It’s unfathomable to think that this could happen anywhere, especially to such sweet babies. Innocent babies. I have no words to explain how badly I want to do something for the families affected, or to even begin to make sense of this. I know right now the holidays are sucking everyone’s wallets dry, but if you have some extra time or money, there are some really awesome ways to reach out and help this community.

Donate to the United way of Western CT

Donate to the Sandy Hook family fund

Morgan Freeman had the most thought provoking comment on this tragedy;

"You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here's why.
It's because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single *victim* of Columbine? Disturbed
people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.
CNN's article says that if the body count "holds up", this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer's face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer's identity? None that I've seen yet. Because they don't sell. So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.
You can help by forgetting you ever read this man's name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem. You can help by turning off the news."

These are the names and faces I’m choosing to remember.:

No comments: