My heart is broken for the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School. I’ve spent the weekend crying for those young children, but it’s their families I cannot stop thinking about. No parent should ever have to bury a child. At the same time, my heart is fearful for the rest of us, including my children and my family. As a mother, I keep looking for something out there in the news that will give me the courage to stay in this country and feel safe enough to send my children to school again tomorrow morning. I think about the mall 10 minutes from our house that has 400+ guns on display for sale right next to the line of little children waiting to see Santa. How those two things can stand side by side is beyond me.

We don’t have a TV. So we don’t expose our children to news of any kind. But when they are asleep, I find myself searching constantly on the internet for something that will give me hope. In case you’re looking to make sense of the whole thing, like I’ve been, I wanted to share some of these articles with you.

This article reminded me of the significance of Obama’s 2-term victory. I remember waking up on the morning of Nov 7 and heaving a huge sigh of relief. The kind of change he talks about here happens with elections like these. Be sure to read the articles he refers to as well. 

This article from The Guardian was enlightening about gun ownership. Most interesting to me are these facts: “Between 1985 and 2010 the prevalence of gun ownership has declined from roughly a third of Americans owning a gun to barely 20%. … those who do own guns now tend to have multiple weapons.” And “…gun ownership, in political terms, has for long been a minority issue in the US, with those who do own firearms — by and large being white, older and male — monopolising a national debate.” From this election, it is clear these old white men, who voted Republican more than 6 to 10, are proportionally declining in the US. This 20% no longer represent the majority of Americans and they’ve just lost the last election.

This is the time to remind ourselves that as mothers, we are doing THE important job in the world. We are educating the children who are going to be shaping the future of our world. And it is through that education and the political actions we engage in and model for our children that lead to change – real and lasting change. I find hope in making my voice heard, in voting for the politicians who represent my choices and in teaching (when the time comes) my children to think about the issues that confront us. I refuse to stay terrorized. I refuse to feel paralyzed. I’ve come out on the other side of anger and deep utter sadness: the things that don’t represent the majority of us simply cannot and will not last. Change is coming.

If you want to take action immediately, join me and sign this open petition from WhiteHouse.gov.