Another Tragedy, Another Debate. More Tears, More Pain. Nothing Changes. Newtown Connecticut.

I write today like many in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut. I am saddened like the rest of the world that things like this happen that this horror reserved for movies and nightmares, can visit us in our everyday lives. Kids playing, laughing, enjoying their innocence one second and in an instant are fighting for their lives, hiding, crying, terrified at this sudden affirmation of just how vulnerable we all really are. Is this tragedy, this killing spree of 26 people including the act of matricide, worse than those we have recently experienced? The other school shootings, mall shootings, et al is this one worse? If so, why? Is it based solely on numbers, the sheer number of human souls lost, or is it the fact these are little kids, just participating in life as expected enjoying their friends, teachers, school.

I want to scream and yell and punch the face of the now dead perpetrator of this heinous crime, but what good will that do. How will that help the families living this nightmare that no parent, no human should ever have to face? It won't. So instead we look at causes to rally for, gun control, more secure schools, although these are great and meaningful and need to be seriously looked at and reexamined, I see another path, a path that will lead to some hope, to prevention, and to perhaps ending this epidemic. We need, and not just in the United States, but in all nations, free and available mental health services. Even in the magical land of Canada, we are responsible to cover the cost of a psychologist, sure the use of a psychiatrist is free, but they are not always easy to access and it's not always enough; leaving those desperately in need, to have to wait indefinitely for some potential help. Giant cracks for someone to fall into.  We need vigilant parents to take note of their children's suffering, to not be afraid to search out help, to realize that getting your child help is not a sign you are a bad parent, on the contrary it is the sign of a GREAT parent.

We, the people, are the solution to the problem. Sure you can point at the President, or Prime Minister depending on your locale, you can even gripe at the NRA, but really it's you and me. How can little old me effect such change? I will tell you. You need to swamp your government officials with mail, emails, or inundate them with phone calls letting them know how this blatant lack of respect for law and the low value being placed on human life has got to stop. Let them know we are prepared to take back our lives. We need tougher gun control. We need to change our inefficient and ineffective laws to better protect us and punish criminals.  We need easily accessible mental health programs and services. Would stronger penalties, punishments have prevented what happened in Connecticut? I think not. Would stricter gun laws? I believe yes. Would better mental health services have made a difference? Again the answer has to be yes, but all of those things need to be repaired to provide a balanced and meaningful system. A system where the police have strong enforceable laws, where prosecutors have the ability to take cases to court with a feeling of hope that good can triumph over evil, a system where judges have the ability to assign punishments befitting the crime, no more wrist slapping. Criminals need to know that when, not if, they get caught there will be hell to pay. Critical to this improved system is having in place mental health services and programs easily accessible to everyone, especially at an early age. Hope needs to be a big part of this, hope for a good future, hope for the safety of our children, hope that things can and will be better.

No Americans, I am not saying, your freedom to bear arms should be obliterated. I just believe it is time you took a look at the system you currently have in place. Maybe it's time to reevaluate what it means to be free to bear arms, what it looks like, how it is managed, and accepting that stricter laws/rules/ guidelines (whatever you want to call them) will not deny you your right, but instead will secure it. The old adage is true, guns don't kill people, people kill people, and so with that in mind tightening the belt on firearm guidelines will help prevent some of those guns reaching those people. Will it cure all the violence, obviously not, but it would go a long way in the prevention of some of these tragedies.

Bad things happen. There are bad people. Statements that hold some truth, but also a whole lot of misleading gobbledygook. Bad things "may" happen, and if they do we should learn from them, grow from them to better prepare ourselves. What is a "bad" person? Someone that has lost their way from drugs and alcohol, someone that was abused and only knows how to cause harm as they have never felt love, or someone that a broken system couldn't fix or didn't even know they were suffering - perhaps a small child that was pushed through the system, no one even slightly aware of the internal struggles they faced thanks to their mental illness. We cannot give up on these people, whether they are our friends, neighbours, family, or strangers. We can do this. We can improve our lives, the lives of our children, and the world. Those children and adults no longer with us in Newtown, Connecticut cannot have died in vain. Their families are not sitting there in complete hell right now for this not to effect change. This cannot just become yesterday's news when a greater form of violence rears its ugly head. The people must be honoured in a meaningful and relevant way, make what happened cause for sweeping reform. Force change, force action, force new legislation, force hope! We can do this. We must do this for the children, for our children.

I welcome thoughts, ideas, topics, plans of all types, let's do this together people - sign up if you are on board.

To hope, to happiness, to love and innocence!!! We will make a difference for all. Take back your safety and your freedom, and live a full and joyful life!