Remembering Newtown

     
     One year ago today, I graduated from university. As the commencement proceedings went on, a tragedy was unfolding several hundred miles away. By the time I had returned to my dorm to finish moving out for the last time, I turned on the television to learn of a horrible mass shooting in a town called Newtown, Connecticut, which involved the slaughter of several children and teachers at an elementary school named Sandy Hook. 

     At that time, there was no luxury to sit and take stock at what had happened, for I had a deadline to meet for leaving the dorm. When I had finally moved out and was on the road back home, the thought in my head was this: Why? Why another shooting? Why elementary-school children? After all, there had just been another incident of gun violence in Aurora, Colorado over the previous summer, and we as a nation had barely recovered from that event. Now this horrendous event had occurred.

     Upon returning home and storing my belongings, I got on my computer to check on the latest developments, and it was there that I learned of the enormity of what had happened: 26 children and six teachers had been murdered by a mentally deranged gunman who had taken his own life. Never before had I heard of such savage destruction caused by one person.

     Of course I was hundreds of miles away from it all, and I knew nobody who was affected by the tragedy. But then, it could have happened at the graduation ceremony were thousands were in attendance. At any rate, when human life is lost to man-made violence, it ought to be only natural that all of us sense a feeling of grief and sadness.

     Queen Elizabeth II, who is no stranger to tragedy, likely takes heart to that belief. In the course of reading various articles about what had happened in Newtown, I found that the Queen had sent the following message to President Obama and the American people:

To President Obama I have been deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the dreadful loss of life today in Newtown, Connecticut; particularly the news that so many of the dead are children. Prince Philip joins me in extending our heartfelt sympathy to you and the American people at this difficult time. The thoughts and prayers of everyone in the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth are with the families and friends of those killed and with all those who have been affected by today's events.

ELIZABETH R

     Those words were comforting to me as an American who loves the UK and has utmost respect for its monarchy and Queen. A cynic may say that the Queen sends such garden-variety messages following any large-scale tragedy, which may be true, but this message felt different. Perhaps it was because of the specific reference to the slain children that made this condolence statement stand out from others.

     At any rate, it was a message which I am sure was appreciated by the President and fellow Americans who had a chance to read it.

     A year later, the memories of that day are still firmly etched in the minds of many people. In that time and in the future, we ought to heed lessons learned from that day to mitigate and prevent such terrible events. As the Elizabeth II knows all to well, all we can do in the end is move on, but never forget.


Photo Credit: Doug Kerr via Flickr cc