Legislators Join NAA To Honor With Action
This story has been updated to include comments from Senator Richard Blumenthal.
NEW BRITAIN - Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) joined members of Newtown Action Alliance (NAA) and others on Monday, December 8, at the YWCA in New Britain, to launch #HonorWithAction week. Rep Esty and Senator Blumenthal encouraged Connecticut residents to take part in service within their own communities this week, to honor the memory of the victims of 12/14, with acts of kindness.
Following a press conference, the two legislators participated in classroom activities with children at the YWCA in New Britain.
“As we near the two year anniversary of the horrific Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School,” Ms Esty said in a statement issued after the Monday morning event, “we mourn the loss of the 26 innocent children and brave educators whose lives were taken that day… How can we honor their memory? The community of Newtown has asked us all to perform small acts of kindness this week in our own communities. They have asked us to honor with action,” she said.
Ms Esty encouraged all to take time from the busy holiday schedule to volunteer.
“I will be volunteering throughout the week both at home in Connecticut and in Washington, DC,” said Rep Esty.
She also planned to join family members directly affected by 12/14, and survivors of gun violence across the United States, at the US Capitol “to renew our call on Congress to pass common sense gun reforms. We need to have background checks on all commercial gun sales, close the gun show loophole, and crack down on the trafficking of illegal guns and illegal straw purchases of guns,” said Rep Esty. “These reforms are simple, they respect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, and they will save lives,” she added.
Honor the lives of all lost to gun violence, urged Rep Esty, with acts of kindness and community service all year long, for lasting change “that makes our world a safer place for our children.”
Senator Blumenthal called the Honor With Action event a moving and powerful morning, to meet with NAA representatives and community members.
“And,” he said, “to resolve that we will do something good to honor the 20 beautiful children and six wonderful educators who died that day. Honoring these wonderful people with action is a way to rekindle and keep alive the hope and goodness they embodied.”
Recalling the horror of arriving at the firehouse in Sandy Hook, December 14, 2012, and witnessing the grief and shock in faces of parents who had just learned their children would not be coming home that night, is unforgettable, said the senator.
“On this second anniversary [of 12/14] the best memorial would be not only acts of kindness, but making America better and safer, by making our laws more effective against gun violence. I’m determined,” stressed Senator Blumenthal, “to redouble our efforts to achieve sensible measures against gun violence that keeps faith with the Newtown community — even though it may be difficult with the new Congress.”
While he does not want to see the fight for sensible laws be an extended one, Senator Blumenthal noted that the passage of the Brady Bill did not occur until a decade after the attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life and that of Jim Brady.
“Remember, reform takes perseverance and persistence, which the families of Newtown have so abundantly demonstrated,” Senator Blumenthal said.
“It was a very uplifting and inspiring morning to read stories to 6 and 7 year old children, children around the same ages as children brutally murdered [12/14],” Senator Blumenthal said, “and to see through their eyes the hopes and dreams every child has, to be safe and happy.”
The senator and staff are committed to continuing acts of kindness this week, he said, in ways both big and small.
Volunteers from NAA read books to small children at the YWCA on Monday, as well.
“Once again, the Newtown Action Alliance and The Newtown Foundation are proud to join Senator Blumenthal and [Rep] Elizabeth Esty and our dedicated volunteers from our organization to kick off another week of Acts of Kindness in Connecticut and in Washington, DC,” NAA chairman Po Murray told The Newtown Bee in an e-mail, Monday afternoon.
“Millions of Americans sent their love and support to Newtown in numerous acts of kindness after the horrific shootings that occurred in our town two years ago. Our hearts are heavy today as the second year anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy is approaching, but working to pay it forward during this very difficult week helps to ease our pain,” she added.
“We are asking that all Americans engage in some form of acts of kindness to honor the children and the educators lost on 12/14. We need more Americans to remember Newtown, and all victims of gun violence, and a commitment to #HonorWithAction to #EndGunViolence, to protect our children and families,” said Ms Murray.
On December 11, Newtown residents and families of gun violence victims from across the nation plan to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with legislators to demand action on background checks, and attend the National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence at The National Cathedral, Ms Murray added. While in Washington, NAA volunteers will deliver over 2,000 donated books to children in need at Savoy Elementary School. Books were collected in recent weeks at Wishing Well in Sandy Hook.
“As Americans we are all touched by gun violence. We are all Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, Hartford, Aurora, Fort Hood, Chicago, Oakland, New York City, New Orleans, Isla Vista, Seattle, ... We are all Newtown,” said Ms Murray.
Newtown Action Alliance is an action-based grassroots organization founded by Newtown residents in the weeks after 12/14, and is dedicated to reversing the escalating gun violence epidemic in this nation through the introduction of smarter, safer gun laws and broader cultural change, according to its website.
The Newtown Foundation is a Newtown-based, all volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization that has been working since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings to help the community heal and be remembered as the place where positive cultural changes began. Led by some of the same people who lead Newtown Action Alliance, The Newtown Foundation is not involved in any legislative or electoral activities. Instead it is focused on educational, healing and cultural programs, including a focus on first responders and teachers to help them move forward.