As the nation sends its kids off to school today like they usually do on a Monday, there is a collective hesitation. Normally, we send them off on the bus or drop them by school and rush off to work feeling comfortable that they will be in a safe place. Many parents this morning lingered, gave an extra hug and thought about keeping their kids home. And most of them thought about the teachers and administrators that nurture and protect their children everyday and felt an incredible rush of gratitude.

We aren’t isolated individuals. We are a society and we benefit from being that collective, in spite of having to give up some individual freedoms to make that collective successful. And we are in this together. We have the power as a nation to act and make a change that will impact generations to come.

Like many of you, the news Friday afternoon changed the character of our weekend. We were sad, angry and frustrated. We let that sink in as we embraced our kids. Then our conversations changed to talking about how we participate and make our voices heard. There are few people, regardless of their political affiliation, who weren’t rocked by the gravity of what happened Friday. We differ on how we tackle making a change, but we all agree that what we are currently doing isn’t working.

Together we have the power to act and make a change that will impact generations to come.

We have let each other down by not demanding that something be done. I was angry that neither side wanted to talk about gun control during the election. But did I write any letters or make some noise? No, I did not. I, too, am part of the problem. But I am also part of the solution. And I am standing up now. Now is our time to write, sign, stand up, walk, march, listen and educate.

We must learn from other countries like Australia and England to see what can be done to reduce gun violence. We must learn from the past and take care of those who need help. How we care for those in need says a lot about who we are as a society. And how we treat one another in our own neighborhoods and communities influences our passion about making the world a better place.

We have a generation of children who are at school right now. It is our responsibility to not only give them a safe place to grow and learn, but the skills to be emotionally intelligent thinkers and good citizens of the world that will be compelled to speak up and act. We need to lead by example and stand up now.

Email your Senators and Congressional Representatives:
Senator Charles Schumer
Kristen Gillibrand
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter

Enter your zip code and connect with your Congressional Representative

Sign petitions:
Gun Control. Now.
Today IS the day: Sponsor strict gun control laws in the wake of the CT school massacre
More petitions at Huffington Post: Gun Control Petitions Flood White House Website In Wake Of Newtown School Shooting

And arm yourself with facts and references:
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
List of countries by firearm-related death rate
Australia has reduced gun deaths by 59% with limits on automatic weapons starting in 1996
Kistof’s NY Times piece has some good references: Do We Have the Courage to Stop This?
David Hemenway, Harvard Public Health specialist who has studied the impact of gun violence
Washington Post: Here’s how U.S. gun violence compares with the rest of the world
The Rochesterian: Talk About Guns