"This kind of thing doesn't happen here."
"You hear about it, but it's about other people -- not you."
"Who could believe this? Who would ever do such a thing?"
Twenty-six people -- 20 children and 6 adults were gunned down in a small town in Connecticut by a crazed killer with semiautomatic weapons.
So many questions need answering: How did he have access to such an arsenal? Why should anyone have access to what amounts to weapons of war? Did he get the help he needed with his obvious issues? And on and on and on...
But here is the saddest truth. It does happen here -- here being anywhere. It is about me and you. Believe it, it's sadly as real as it gets.
When I searched "School Massacres" there were some 10 million references returned in milliseconds. Believe it.
One site listed the 10 Worst -- terrorist attacks, disgruntled employees, simple nut cases -- and what makes it even more poignant is that no continent is free -- no one country is more vulnerable than the next -- the common element is that children are, plain and simple, the most vulnerable target of all.
And, as shocked and "surprised" as we are that it happens here -- here as in anywhere -- schools all over the world have heightened their security. Children drill for just such occurrences and teachers are trained to react and cope as they did heroically last Friday.
Clearly in our collective knowledge we worry, we plan, we do our best to protect, but somehow we don't seem to do enough to prevent.
As I scanned the news of Saturday and Sunday, I lost count of the attacks on schools and schoolchildren happening all over the world. In China, in Afghanistan, in Syria -- some by outright crazies, some because they hate the idea of children learning, and some because kids get caught in the crossfire... collateral damage, if you will.
No matter the reason, the children die, they are maimed, they are scarred for life.
And every once in a while -- as in Connecticut -- or like the young girl now recuperating in the UK, shot by the Taliban -- we transcend mere statistical counting and the story rises to our collective consciousness and for a brief moment we wring our hands, we come together and then we move on, adding another set of numbers to a grim and mounting score as the next attack becomes the new tragedy and the old fades to a statistic.
Who knows what cure for cancer was killed in that school, what technological advance to make our lives better and more comfortable, what music yet to be composed or art to be created, who knows what solution for world harmony is buried with any of the victims... anywhere in the world.
Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, once said, "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
Clearly we need to do more than strengthen the locks on our school doors and tighten up the evacuation protocols for children and teachers. And to be fair, I haven't mentioned the 19,000 or so children who die everyday around the world because they don't have access to medicine, food and other basic necessities that most of us take for granted.
It's easy to blame the perpetrators and yes, they are evil. In some sick instances we have even seen where the victims themselves were blamed; however, Albert Einstein had a different take. Listen: "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
So what do we do? What should we do?
Maybe the place to start is by hugging our own children and understanding that they are the proxy for all. Children -- all children -- are our future, our afterlives if you will. We need to protect and nurture them all.
One last thought: Teach your children well. Listen:
Hug and act, because these kinds of things do happen and we need to make sure they don't.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.