This morning, 20 toothbrushes sat on the bathroom counter. Twenty pairs of winter boots weren't put on. Twenty little chairs at the breakfast table sat empty.
The horrors of what occurred in Newtown are just sinking in. Spending a moment thinking what it looked like in that classroom will make any caring person, and especially any parent, fill with rage.
How do we force ourselves to not forget and move on? How do we channel our anger into sustained action that results in meaningful change?
A new grassroots group has formed called 20 Children.
At this point, over 100 people an hour are joining on Facebook, and are offering their ideas for what should happen:
•Mothers are wondering if it could happen at their school and suggesting a nationwide strike, with families and students demanding that their children are made safe.
•Public health experts are pointing out that guns are dangerous products and need to be regulated in the same way we regulate pharmaceuticals, cigarettes and alcohol.
•Lawyers are pointing out that a federal ban on assault weapons is a logical first step, along with laws regulating the sale of weapons at gun shows, where too often no background check is required.
•Mental health professionals are pointing out how crazy it is that there is no mental health test for people who want to own assault weapons.
•Political experts are planning to take the fight directly to the National Rifle Association, forcing them to defend their extremist positions that have led to a lack of regulation.
There is no single solution to this horrible problem.
But, there is one commitment we can all make, today, in honor of these 20 children and the brave adults who died trying to defend them.
We can commit to personally engage in this issue on an ongoing basis until it is solved. We can decide that children being massacred in their classroom is not acceptable in America, and that we are not going to simply be sad and then move on. We can decide that this is ALL of our problem, and that there is nothing more important than protecting our children.
If you want to join us in that commitment, click here
We need your ideas, we need your passion, and we need your commitment.