At this afternoon’s LGBT Pride Month Reception at the White House, President Obama was introduced by nine-year-old twins Zea and Luna, third graders from California who have two moms. Watch after the jump (along with the President’s remarks).
Yesterday, I posted my column about the December 14th school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Today, I’m honored to bring you a guest post from my own mother, who had her own thoughts and offered to share them here. Some of our thoughts (not surprisingly) overlap, but she adds her own perspective as a mental health professional.
Thanks, Mom!
(I wrote this for my newspaper column the day of the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. I hope 2013 is the year we as a country begin to take serious steps to ensure such tragedies never happen again.)
This was going to be a very different column. Then 20 children died in Connecticut.
Gun control is only one part of what our country must do to reduce the chances of another school shooting like the one December 14 in Newtown, Connecticut—but it is a vital one. There are a number of petitions out now to let our elected officials know our thoughts on the matter. I’m highlighting a petition and a pledge from Moms Rising because they’re good folks who do a lot across the board to help those of us who have the honor of being called moms.
Like many people, I am still going through periods of fear and sadness as I think of the school shooting last Friday in Newtown, Connecticut. There is no lack of commentary on the tragedy, but here are a few that I found rise above the rest.
I am stunned and horrified by the school shooting in at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut today, that left 27 dead, including 18 children. I grew up in Connecticut. My own son is in elementary school one state over. Not that the nearness should matter—this is a tragedy for our whole country. My thoughts are with the families and community in Newtown, and I can find no more words right now. Give your kids extra hugs today. I know I will with mine.
