一位母親對於珊迪胡克小學槍擊事件的反應
聽聞珊迪胡克小學的事件，一想到那些家庭，我的心都碎了。我整個週末為了那些罹難的小孩在哭泣，我更是不斷的想到他們的家人，這些父母要親手埋葬他們的孩子，太沒有道理。此刻，我想到我的家人和小孩，我感到害怕，身為一位母親，在新聞的字裡行間，我不斷的尋找，可以讓我有勇氣能夠繼續留在這個國家的理由，明天早上我會覺得將小孩送到學校是安全的事情，我又想到距離我家10分鐘車程的購物中心，就有超過400支槍在展售著，就在小孩等著可以跟聖誕老公公拍照的地方，我怎麼都想不透，這兩個元素怎麼能夠擺在一起！
我家裡沒有電視，所以，小孩不會接觸到這一類的新聞，但是，當他們睡著之後，我不斷的在網路上尋找讓我能夠產生希望的消息，如果你也跟我一樣，一直在尋找一個合理的解釋，我想要跟你分享以下的一些文章：
這一篇 提醒了我歐巴馬連任的重要性，我記得11月7日早上醒來，我感到鬆了一口氣，作者所提到的改變也正是這樣的選舉才能發生的，他在文章裡提到的幾篇文章也記得去閱讀。
英國報紙的這一篇文章 ，在槍枝擁有權的觀點有很好的詮釋。對我來說有趣的事情是：在1985年至2010年之間，雖然擁有槍枝的美國人口已經減少到總人口的20%，但是每個擁槍人口平均槍枝數量較多，並且，從政治上來說，擁有槍枝在美國的歷史上，是個少數人口的問題，他們多數是年長的白人男性，他們控制了這個國家的槍枝議題。在這一次的總統選舉中，很清楚的顯示出來，這些年長白人男性將票投給共和黨的比例已經降低。因此，這20%的人，已經不足以代表多數美國人的意見，他們在這一次的選舉已經輸了。
這一次的事件，提醒我們這些做母親的，我們正在為我們的世界做一件很重要的事情，我們在教育我們的下一代，他們將塑造我們未來的世界，唯有通過教育，以及我們對於政治的參與，我們是孩子的模範，替未來的改變鋪路，形成一個真實並且永續的改變。藉由發出我的聲音，我找到希望，我能夠投票給能夠代表我的選擇的政治人，我能夠教導我的孩子去思考我們正在面對的議題。我拒絕接受威脅，我絕對不要只是痲痹的接受，雖然我悲傷憤怒，但是我需要走出來：絕對不可以讓那些不能夠代表我們多數人的意見持續下去。改變將來臨！
如果你希望能夠立即行動，加入我，一起去 白宮網站簽署這一個請願書
I really enjoy following along on your journey of raising your girls.
I am not a parent but a hopeful teacher in training, and I understand just a little the fear you feel about guns after this tragedy. However, how will limiting access to them help? Those who break the laws don’t care and those who do will be left unarmed. If a teacher in that school had been armed they might have been able to protect their students.
I am not a fan of guns, but our world is dangerous.
We need to be taught how to properly use what is dangerous.
The act that occurred in Connecticut is evidence of another issue. A culture that is desensitized to violence. A place where the ill are not healed and their minds left un-helped. The man who shot the gun was ill.
It is rare that a shooting like this happens. Let us pray it stays that way.
Thank-you for sharing your opinion. I pray that your heart will gain some peace knowing this is rare, and that you will consider what I have said.
-Valerie
@Valerie
Are you really suggesting that teachers carry loaded guns in a school?
What happens if a child picks up that gun thinking it’s a toy ?
What happens if an emotional, bullied teenager gets hold of it in a heightened state of emotion?
Surely that goes further to reinforcing the desensitising of violence when young, impressible children are exposed to guns being carried around by their teachers.
Teaching children you have to carry a gun to feel safe is not a lesson to be learnt.
This is possibly one of the most ridiculous, idiotic ideas I have heard in a long time.
No idea what planet you’re on, but glad there’s a lot of ocean between your country and mine.
I’m sorry it does sound like I am suggesting teachers carry gun. Not what I meant. Sorry. This is a really sensitive subject and really unclear to me and I should have kept my thoughts to myself till they were more clear. My only point is I don’t think it made sense to prevent people who have good intentions from having that security when there are people out there with bad intentions who will ignore the law.
…I did get to thinking about your point that the access to multiple un-needed guns is ridiculous.
-Valerie
Thank you for your comments. This is a sensitive, complicated issue and we all need to talk it through to figure out what we actually believe in. Writing this blog helped me arrange my thoughts tremendously. There is no better time and place! Thank you for making your voice heard – thoughtful conversations are what we need.