Montini: Five years after Sandy Hook and from Donald Trump … nothing
EJ Montini, opinion columnist
Published 9:08 p.m. MT Dec. 14, 2017 | Updated 6:20 a.m. MT Dec. 15, 2017
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Five years after the Sandy Hook tragedy, we take a moment to reflect on the 20 children and 6 educators who died and the legacy they left behind. On this day in 2012, President Obama made a tearful speech to the press.
USA TODAY
It wouldn’t shock us at all these days. There have been so many mass shootings since then.
The murdered children would be in sixth grade, enjoying those lanky in-between years. The math they’d be learning in school would begin to baffle some of their parents. They would be learning more complicated aspects of science. The solar system, perhaps. Geology. They’d be reading more sophisticated work and learning themselves to analyze some of it. And to write short essays on their own.
Nicole Lesser holds a candle during a vigil at Rutgers Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, N.Y. to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook School shootings. The vigil was sponsored by Moms Demand Action and a coalition of over thirty organizations.
Seth Harrison, The Journal News via USA TODAY NETWORK
Samuel Jackson holds a candle during a vigil at Rutgers Presbyterian Church in Manhattan to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook School shootings.
Seth Harrison, The Journal News via USA TODAY NETWORK
People dressed in veils hold photographs of individuals killed by guns during a vigil at Rutgers Presbyterian Church in Manhattan to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook School shootings.
Seth Harrison, The Journal News via USA TODAY NETWORK
People dressed in veils hold photographs of individuals killed by guns during a vigil at Rutgers Presbyterian Church in Manhattan to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sandy Hook School shootings.
Seth Harrison, The Journal News via USA TODAY NETWORK
Rev. Barbara Wilson lights candles to honor victims of gun violence during a vigil held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church in Benton Township, Mich.
Don Campbell, The Herald-Palladium via AP
A woman holds a candle to honor victims of gun violence during a vigil held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church in Benton Township, Mich.
Don Campbell, The Herald-Palladium via AP
Worshipers hold candles to honor victims of gun violence during a vigil held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church in Benton Township, Mich.
Don Campbell, The Herald-Palladium via AP
President Donald Trump didn’t go to Newtown for a fifth anniversary service. He didn’t make a public statement about gun violence and things we might do to prevent the chances of future massacres.
Politicians say despicable things during a campaign. They do despicable things. And for the most part, we forgive them.
But this?
Of the Newtown massacre Alex Jones said, “Sandy Hook is a synthetic completely fake with actors, in my view, manufactured.”
After the election Jones reported that Trump called to thank him.
According to Jones, “He (Trump) said, ‘Listen, Alex, I just talked to kings and queens of the world, world leaders, you name it, but he said it doesn’t matter, I wanted to talk to you, to thank your audience, and I’ll be on the next few weeks to thank them.’ I said is this is a private call? And he said, ‘No, I want to thank your viewers, thank your listeners for standing up for this republic, we know what you did early on, throughout this campaign, standing up for what’s right.’”
During the original memorial service for the 26 children and adults who were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, then-President Barack Obama said, "Can we say that we're truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance they deserve to live out their lives in happiness and with purpose? I've been reflecting on this the last few days. If we're honest with ourselves, the answer is no. And we will have to change.”
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