In the hours and days after news of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting emerged, a number of state and local political leaders issued statements, along with one mother who lost her daughter at Sandy Hook Elementary School.Sredzinski: Love WinsBlumenthal, Carter Tangle

Nelba Marquez-Greene posted a letter on the memorial Facebook page for her daughter, Ana Grace, who was one of the 20 first-graders and six educators fatally shot in December 2012. In it she describes how hearing about the Orlando shooting took her back to the horror she felt as one of those waiting to hear news about a loved one.

"I am sorry that our tragedy here in Sandy hook wasn't enough to save your loved ones," she wrote. "I tried and I won't stop trying. Don't you dare even listen to even ONE person who may insinuate that somehow this is your loved one's fault because they were gay or any other reason. Nor is it God's wrath."

Ms Marquez-Greene tells the victim's families they are on a "forever journey." She advises them to embrace the love that will come their way and delete, ignore, or put aside "the ugly."

She also urges people to not send money to Orlando until they know it will be received by the victims and not "organizations designed to benefit from tragedies."

"America's mass shootings should not be the United Way's pay day or a specific town's funding source to build a senior center," she said.

She advises friends that victims will need their help and urges people to bring up gun violence in their houses of worship and community groups.

She also promises her family will learn about each of the Orlando victims and say their names aloud.

"We will remember your children," she wrote. "As you remembered and learned about ours."

State Senator Tony Hwang also took to social networks to offer a brief but heartfelt message:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Floridians, the LGBT community - and all Americans - in the aftermath of the evil, cowardly, terrorist attack on innocent people at the Orlando night club Pulse. Our sympathies to the victims, survivors, their families & traumatized Americans. Let us focus our energies NOW on healing, love & support."

First Selectman Pat Llodra, who stood with survivors and loved ones on 12/14, said she has been affected by every mass shooting that has occurred since.

"What does one say to a community that has experienced the horror of 49 lives lost and 53 others wounded in an act of violence borne of hatred, bigotry and racism?" she asked. "Of course we offer our heartfelt condolences, our sympathy and support for the families and friends of the victims, and for the community at large. Every one of those victims lost to the violence in Orlando deserved to live, to enjoy their families and friends, experience the beauty of nature and the challenges of making one's way in the world."

Mrs Llodra said while those families have lost a loved one - a son or daughter, brother, sister, relative, friend- "our world has lost more ground to hatred and bigotry."

"Let's remember and memorialize those victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting who have been so wrongly robbed of their right to life. Each and every one of these men and women has a place in our hearts and needs to be remembered, not lost to history."

And while sentiments are genuine, the first selectman said it seems that the offering of kind words seems gratuitous, too little and too mundane to make a difference.

"Too many times since December 14, 2012, this office has reached out to other communities in the wake of a mass tragedy perpetrated by an angry, disaffected person using a weapon to discharge his animosity," she said. "Our sadness and concern for those who experience such horror is shared by millions across the globe. Each time a horrible mass event occurs, many of us say, surely something good can come out of this.

"I want to hold on to that hope for goodness but, today, find myself struggling a bit to believe that kindness and respect for all can prevail in the face of hatred and bigotry."

Mrs Llodra said she will reach out to Orlando, on behalf of Newtown, and will offer whatever help possible that can ease their burden.

"I will share my despair with colleagues from that city that our fraternity of places with mass tragedies experienced at the hand of an angry person with a gun continues to grow," the first selectman said. "And, I will encourage my colleagues to believe that we all can somehow turn this around and that a better, safer world awaits our children and grandchildren, no matter their age, their color, their creed, their sexual orientation."

State Rep J.P. Sredzinski, who also lost a loved one to a violent crime, said, "As a member of a community that experienced our own unfathomable tragedy all too recently, I am filled with empathy for the victims of the Orlando shooting and their loved ones."

The Monroe and Newtown lawmaker said in the wake of the senseless act of evil in Orlando, now is a time for focusing not only on how to help their community heal, but also on how the nation can "prevent atrocities like this from happening in the future."

"The unfortunate truth is that evil exists, and we as a society must be better prepared to handle threats such as this one," Mr Sredzinski said. "Until then, let us remember that no matter how evil the act perpetrated on our country, love will always win."

Senator Chris Murphy issued a statement saying: "I'm aching for the victims, their loved ones, and the people of Orlando, and I pray that all those injured have a quick and full recovery. I know the pain and sadness that has brought too many communities - Newtown, Oregon, Aurora, San Bernardino, and now Orlando - to their knees, and I can only hope that America's leaders will do something to prevent another community from being added to the list. This phenomenon of near constant mass shootings happens only in America - nowhere else. Congress has become complicit in these murders by its total, unconscionable deafening silence. This doesn't have to happen, but this epidemic will continue without end if Congress continues to sit on its hands and do nothing - again."

US Representative Elizabeth Esty said she, her family and colleagues were "heartsick for the victims and for their loved ones, and we pray for a quick recovery for all those who have been injured.

"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the law enforcement officers and first responders in Orlando, whose courageous actions ended this act of terrorism and may have saved dozens of lives. The individual apparently responsible for this tragedy is dead, but the work now begins to piece together how this attack occurred and to ensure that anyone who had a role in carrying it out is brought swiftly to justice.

"We do not yet know what motivated this horrific act of terrorism. But the fact that it targeted a mainstay of Florida's LGBT community as communities throughout our nation gather to celebrate LGBT Pride Month only adds to our immense grief."

US Senator Richard Blumenthal said, "As we learn more in shock and horror about the deadliest mass shooting in our history, my heart breaks for the families of loved ones lost or injured - and for our nation, continuing to suffer from this unspeakable epidemic of gun violence. The Senate's inaction on commonsense gun violence prevention makes it complicit in this public health crisis. Prayers and platitudes are insufficient. The American public is beseeching us to act on commonsense, sensible gun violence prevention measures, and we must heed that call."

Connecticut Representative Dan Carter, who is running for US Senate against incumbent Senator Blumenthal issued a statement June 12 saying: "This morning we awoke to the news that another tragedy has played out in our country. Less than a half hour drive from Walt Disney World, more than 20 of our fellow Americans were killed in yet another senseless act of violence. At this time our concern must be with the victims and their families."

In his statement, Mr Carter urged constituents to "guard against vilifying groups of people or using this tragedy to push agendas.:

"In the hours and days ahead we will get more details and can more intelligently discuss what we need to do as a nation to stop these horrific incidents that play out far too often in our country," Mr Carter said. "I urge everyone to focus on providing support to the victims and law enforcement."

The following day, the representative issued a follow-up that stated in part: "Yesterday I called for pause and prayer as officials began to piece together the details and attempt to define this unspeakable and heinous attack. Words matter and defining this as a terror attack and beginning to identify the motive is critical to create new solutions that deal with the constantly evolving threat of domestic terrorism. But Dick Blumenthal did exactly what he always does. He put himself and his agenda above all else," Carter said. "The victims, their families, the LGBTQ community and Americans at large deserve better."