Sedona AZ (December 14, 2012) – by Lori Haas, mother of a Virginia Tech student who survived being shot twice in the head:
Today we are all witness to an unspeakable tragedy.
Five years ago, my daughter Emily was in French class at Virginia Tech when a gunman opened fire, killing her teacher and 11 of her friends and classmates. Emily was shot twice in the back of the head, but survived. We can’t let this continue.
Now is the time for neighbors to comfort one another, keep the victims of the Connecticut tragedy in our hearts, and call for a plan to end gun violence. I personally will be demanding a plan to end gun violence—condolences are not enough. By coming together and lifting our voices, we can help prevent this from ever happening again.
Tomorrow at 5 p.m., I’m hosting a candlelight vigil in my neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia. I hope others around the country will join me and make this a national moment of mourning, reflection, and resolve to act.
Can you host a vigil in your community tomorrow evening, Saturday, December 15, around 5 p.m., to remember the victims and call for a plan?
Yes, I can host a candlelight vigil.
A local school or a neighborhood park—places that should be safe for our children—are good locations for your vigil. You can bring family and friends who are seeking a quiet place to gather in community—parents, grandparents, teachers, children, neighbors.
Today, President Obama’s press secretary said that “Now is not [the] time” to act to prevent gun violence. Mr. President, today IS the day to talk about the deadly toll of gun violence on American families, communities, and especially, our kids. I personally am demanding a plan from the President so no more children will experience this kind of tragedy.
Please—join me and host a candlelight vigil in your neighborhood tomorrow.
Thank you,
Lori Haas, mother of a Virginia Tech survivor Richmond, Virginia
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Our hearts are heavy for the families suffering from this unimaginable act. Hug your children, care for your neighbors and hold fast in the face of injustice!
Being in a classroom every day, I can not get over what must have been the horrific scene at the Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut. Tragedy is not strong enough a word.
Below is an email from Staci Sarkin. She created a petition on http://www.SignOn.org in response to the tragic shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut. If you want to sign the petition, you will find it there.
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On December 14, 2012, a gunman entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and opened fire, killing what is currently being reported as a minimum of 27 people, 20 of whom were children. Completely innocent unarmed victims.
Columbine. Red Lake, Minnesota. Essex, Vermont. Lancaster, Ohio. Virginia Tech. To name a few.
How many more innocents must die at the hands of an antiquated and oft-misinterpreted amendment? Enough.
It’s time to stop the violence. That’s why I created a petition on SignOn.org to Congress and President Obama, which says:
Our Second Amendment rights are long overdue a reevaluation. How many more senseless and entirely PREVENTABLE shootings have to occur before we do something about gun control?
As a citizen and constituent of this great country, I am asking that you take a firm stand and make a positive change by restricting access to guns and saving lives.
I don’t have a gun. I don’t want a gun. I don’t need a gun. But somehow the guns always wind up in the hands of people crazy enough to use them irresponsibly and dangerously. THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED.
Add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
Thank you for your support.
Staci Sarkin
ReTweeted this SedonaEye story by Jen @TN_SmartGirl To 6038 followers School Shooting in Tennessee That National Media Did Not Report wp.me/pTBpf-2d
time gun control gets addressed to take rapid fire assault weapons off streets & out of psychos & two bit crooks hands/ reasonable waiting periods are not the enemy of gun owners & the nra better figure it out fast & lead the way/ reasonable gun owners aren’t intimidated by waiting periods. do i hear an amen from fellow fun owners?
At BP meeting Marketplace owner & elected board member touting fundraiser & can’t believe people are falling for his blatant attempt to profit off of this. This is not right. Hillside did a CARD campaign & didn’t use the stores. Rouse should be ashamed. You are profiting off this disaster & I want VOC not to help you out. Let us know when everything in your restaurant is FREE and you raise money every cent to DONATE. One thing about Sedona is there are plenty of profiteers. This is my opinion & others may not agree which I respect. Nothing personal Rouse.
Dave you made your point and unfortunately you could have made the point nicer but you are right. Ken cannot have it both ways by using a platform to promote his restaurant is natural but should be curbed. There are lots of other restaurant owers that care as much and don’t have elected positions to profit from causes used to get business. I think we don’t need to say more.