154

At mid-morning today MSNBC said several hundred pages of evidence has been released on the Sandy Hook Elementary School investigation.  One startling fact: the shooter fired 154 bullets in less than 10 minutes.  That's 15-20 rounds per minute.  Or, sadly, two children per minute.

Sandy Hook

Today marks 100 days since this tragedy occurred.  The initial shock has begun to subside.  That's the normal progression of grief work, and to be expected.  Yet those who oppose any new gun legislation are counting on a loss of momentum to aid their work.  Over the past 100 days we have also seen the power which the NRA and gun manufacturers wield in Washington.  Legislators like my Congressman Dan Benishek (R., Michigan 1st) claim to support the Second Amendment, but in reality he and too many others are just marionettes on the gun lobby's strings.  They twitch, he jumps.

The shock of Sandy Hook may abate, but this event has changed the nation.  Given the political realities, it will take time — maybe a decade — to fix this problem.  It's a challenge we cannot shirk. •••