To the Editor

As a large number of America-loving Americans will tell you....guns don't kill people, people do.  These red, white and blue clad patriots... lovers of truly great documents like our country's Constitution... have an undeniable understanding of the force that has taken the lives of so many of our citizens.  And that force is irrefutably people.  So naturally, when talking about the forces that actually save lives, one would think this same group of fellow Americans will undoubtedly credit the positive side of humanity... those great human beings that dedicate or risk their lives to battle the evils that endanger the innocent.  Sadly, that theory seems to be incorrect.

After much recent propaganda, most of us are now aware that an advocacy group called The Second Amendment Foundation has attempted to memorialize the community where 26 lives were violently taken last December by openly paying tribute to the instruments used by one deranged man on the sad anniversary of his bloody rampage.   And their tagline for this commemoration? “Guns Save Lives Day.”  So apparently, the belief of a group of Americans impassioned by our country's constitution... a document written for the people, by the people... is that only people take lives, but people don't actually save lives... guns do.

As a parent of three children in Newtown's schools, I am merely tangentially experiencing the fallout and recovery of the town's tragedy... spared the horror of losing one of my three kids to a misguided and disturbed man's use of deadly weapons. But even I was shocked to see The Newtown Bee's front page headline...  “Guns Save Lives Day Moved to December 15” in the October 18 issue.  I believe The Bee's intent was to display just how appalling is a political advocacy that prioritizes the rights and privileges of gun ownership above and beyond empathy for a community that was horrifically victimized.  But in my opinion, they failed in this transmission, as I am sure many others were taken aback by that headline when perusing the publication. And in the balance, a kind of demented victory goes to a foundation that chose to pull at the heartstrings of those mourning in order to further an agenda, the thrust of which I believe is only partially understood by its members.

I'm writing this note on Wednesday morning, October 23, after waking to news of a five-year old boy in Texas shooting himself to death with his babysitter's gun. I sincerely hope the community that surrounds this boy's family is able to neutralize the advocacy groups that are destined to descend upon this tragedy in order to protect and further an all too familiar political cause. 

Anthony Romano

Woodbury      October 23, 2013