I am a CT resident who works in Ridgefield and lives in Branford. I was only able to bring myself to drive through Sandy Hook on my way to work yesterday as starting each day this week with an already broken heart since Friday, made commuting through town almost too much to bear. And yet, people who live in Newtown, your friends and family, neighbors and community, are there every day, showing a level of grace that many could only hope to have. I have three boys, ages 10-15 and, my 10-year-old is an on-line “gaming friend” with a little boy who lost his sister on Friday. Whether we live in Newtown, somewhere else in CT, or the US or the rest of the world, we will forever be changed by the events that took place on Friday. You have been able to help us remember the gleams of hope that can come from such heartbreak. Thank you.

Although I’m well qualified to have thoughts on what happened, I don’t have any special ones to offer. I don’t think any of the policy proposals will matter worth a damn, because those capable of passing as a law will not actually change anything. Certainly none would have changed what happened in Newtown, though that saddens me deeply. I’d like to think it could have been prevented, but as an attorney with an interest in the Second Amendment and related debates, I don’t believe so.

I too try to talk to my family and friends about what happened, and that may be the most important thing we can do. And Jeff, I agree with everything you say, and hope to meet you in Newtown someday. It will always mean my childhood to me, and no one can take that away.

You have put into words, so beautifully, what so many of us are feeling and thinking about this tragedy in Newtown. We, too, are former residents of almost 4 decades who raised four children – all of whom attended and graduated from Newtown schools. The town is wonderful and the schools are exceptional. This tragedy cannot be allowed to change that….