A devastating shooting in Newtown

The intense sorrow following the horrendous massacre in Newtown has had a strong grasp on the consciousness of all Americans, including the town’s neighbors statewide and those across the nation who have seen and heard unfolding media coverage of the tragedy. The horror of first-graders and the defenseless educators trying to protect them being gunned down is more than most of us can even begin to fathom.We all want to know details of how and why this could happen, leading to the media going public with preliminary information that has subsequently evolved and changed as the chain of events surrounding the shootings has become clearer. Will understanding such details help us comprehend why and how such a thing could happen, and help prevent anything like it in the future? Surely we want to think so, want to hope so. If this horrific action is not a tipping point in the U.S. national mind-set on assault weapons and mental health care, what will be? It’s time to reconsider the federal assault weapons ban that stood for 10 years, ending in 2004, affecting the legality of 19 types of assault weapons. California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein vowed to introduce an updated version of her legislation that was in force from 1994 to 2004. Now is the time for this legislation to find bipartisan support. If not, voters will have to question the judgment of their elected representatives in Washington. There should also be consideration of legislation around the handling and security of residential guns, which was an issue leading into this shooting.Much of the public discussion has rightly been about gun control and improved access to better mental health care, but without personal vigilance and action all the legislation in the world cannot end violence. A change in the way Americans view the world needs to come from many sides of our society, from movies, TV and video games to educational initiatives to meaningful political and religious leadership. The leadership shown by Gov. Dannel Malloy and President Barack Obama during this crisis has been a good model. Their inspiring words at an interfaith memorial service in Newtown following the tragedy seemed some comfort to those survivors present who are suffering in the wake of this violence.The actions of the shooter cannot have been more heinous, more wrong, and they should not and do not define who we are as Americans. The evidence that such violence is not at the core of who we are is that surrounding this devastating crime and its aftermath there was so much heroism, so much mutual support, so many good people helping one another cope with the unimaginable.There have got to be ways to fix this violent and uncontrolled part of our culture. Now is the time to find them and take positive action to implement them, on a personal level and a national level. According to The Newtown Bee, the United Way of Western Connecticut and Newtown Savings Bank have created the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.Check donations to underwrite support services, immediate needs and funeral expenses for the immediate families of victims can be mailed to Sandy Hook School Support Fund, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main St., Newtown, CT 06470. Credit card donations may be made at newtown.uwwesternct.org. For more information, call 800-461-0672.