Our National Shame

There is nothing I can write that will lessen the trauma of the events in the elementary school in Connecticut, for the parents, for their families, for the surviving students, for the teachers, for the principal, but there is this. 

I pledge to work somehow for gun control in the United States.  I don’t know the avenue yet, but it will happen.  Indeed, we as a populace must all rise up and say NO MORE.  It is our national shame. We must not allow the all-powerful NRA and gun manufacturers to own our legislative agenda for gun control.  United we are a force that the congressman and women cannot ignore, but we must be relentless or it will be business as usual.  So, for all the beautiful young lives that were cut short last week, pledge to yourself to somehow be their voices against this mindless violence.  We can and we must make a difference.  All the children sitting in every classroom in America need us. 
UPDATE:  Here is a link to sign a White House petition for gun control.  You have to create an account, but it's very quick, 3 lines.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediately-address-issue-gun-control-through-introduction-legislation-congress/2tgcXzQC#thank-you=p
On a point of hope, take a look at this video from last week.  On the same day as the tragedy, I was setting up my training space for a workshop at a women’s college when I heard a beautiful choir of young women’s voices.  I quickly climbed two flights to stairs to the music room and was greeted by this exuberant group.  The unfettered joy of their noise brought me near to tears. This is the sound every young child deserves to make.

The lyrics and their English translation of the song follow.  This is an inspirational song from the “New York” Bollywood film.  The main theme is “Have passion; have a kind heart.”  I found the melody uplifting and now I think it matches the lyrics well.

Here is the song 'Hai Junnun' from movie 'New York'.

na nannana na na na nannana na na na..........

yaaron ji bharke ji le pal

friends live the movement fully

lagata hai aajkal daur apana aayega

now a day seems like our time has to come

yaaron jo khud pe ho yakin, toh jindagi haseen

friends if you have confidence in you, then life will be beautiful

tujhe kal bulaayega

tomorrow will call you

hai junoon, hai junoon sa sine mein - (4)

have passion, have kind a passion in heart

na nannana na na na nannana na na na..........

(kahin jaise koi dhun baje

like somewhere some tune is playing

raahon mein dekho hai manjar saje saare

see the road is decorated with flowers

hami hum jahaan mein har jagah

we and only we everywhere in the world

sapane sajaane ki mili hamako wajah)-2

we got the reason to see dreams

ye agar jo sach nahi, toh sach bhala hai kya

if it's not true, ten what's the truth

yaaron apane hisaab se dil ki kitaab pe kuchh toh naya likho

friends with your own style, on your heart, write something new

yaaron anjaam ki fikar na karati yeh umar phir kyun bhala daro

friends, this age doesn't care about the result, then why to be afraid

hai junoon, hai junoon sa sine mein - (2)

have passion, have kind a passion in heart

hai junoon, hai junoon

have passion, have passion

(kabhi jo milenge raaste, pal mein hi chamkegi hansi puraani toh

if for sometime our roads will meet, then within a moment the old smile will spark on

kaho kya kahoge phir hamein, kaise chhupaaoge nami yeh palakon ki)-2

tell then what you will say to me at that time, how do you hide the tears of your eyes

yeh bata hai kya huwa, huwa yeh kyun bata

tell me what has happened, why it is happened tell me

yaaron ji bharke ji le pal

friends live the movement fully

lagata hai aajkal daur apana aayega

now a day seems like our time has to come

yaaron jo khud pe ho yakin, toh jindagi haseen

friends if you have confidence in you, then life will be beautiful

tujhe kal bulaayega

tomorrow will call you

hai junoon, hai junoon sa sine mein -4, hai junoon

have passion, have kind a passion in heart, have passion