NEWTOWN. U.S. SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY.

I love Newtown. I love the people. I love the landscape. I love the annual Labor Day parade. I love it more now, having watched the town wrestle over the unanswerable question of what to be in the wake of unimaginable tragedy.

Newtown is different than it was before the events of December 14, 2012. Of course it is. No place could ever recover from that cataclysm – twenty first-graders and six educators disappearing from the earth in the matter of five life-shattering minutes. But there is true beauty in how this small town in western Connecticut has responded and rebounded. Today, as America marks five years since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, we should celebrate the miracles, big and small, of the last half decade.

Miracles like those performed by the numerous charitable organizations started by the parents of the Sandy Hook victims. Organizations that are partnering at-risk kids with therapeutic animals or funding research on the intersection between mental illness and violence or teaching schoolchildren how to recognize and combat social isolation. Their work has improved and saved countless lives.

Miracles like those that happen every day in the lives of the family members left behind. The gaping, yawning holes are still there – but the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, have found a way to build meaningful lives in the wake of unimaginable loss. I have been lucky to witness firsthand this regrowth of purpose in so many families that I call friends.

Miracles like the day last December when several Sandy Hook parents stood quietly at the back of an auditorium as President Obama signed into law the most comprehensive reform of our nation’s mental health laws in a generation – a bill that would not have become law without the input and activism of the gun violence survivors’ community.

Newtown will never be the same. And having been there to witness the day’s events firsthand, I know I will never be the same. My life changed that day. I now wake up every day knowing that my political career will be a failure if I do not change the laws of this nation to meaningfully reduce the chances that something like that will ever happen again.

But tonight, as I gather with family and community members in Newtown to remember the beauty that was extinguished from the earth five years ago today, I will not wallow in what has not been accomplished.

Instead, I will remember the two simple words whispered to me by one Sandy Hook mom earlier this year. As I readied to leave my office one evening, the front desk rang me to say that one of the Sandy Hook parents had dropped by unannounced. Of course, send her in, I said. She walked into my office, and without saying a word, draped her arms around me in a giant, warm bear hug.

“Keep going,” she said quietly to me. She wiped a few tears back, took a few steps backwards, and continued, “That’s all I wanted to say.” Then she left, unable to muster the energy to say anything more.

Newtown isn’t the same. I’m not the same. And I doubt you’re the same.

But five years later, we keep going. And we celebrate the miracles that continue to implausibly blossom all around us.

Chris Murphy
U.S. Senator, Connecticut.

HAPPY HANUKKAH. CONGRESSMAN DAVID CICILLINE.

December 12, 2017
Dear David, At sundown tonight, the Jewish community will observe the first night of Hanukkah. This wonderful holiday commemorates the story of the Maccabees who fought for freedom, and whose incredible courage serves as a powerful reminder of the spirit of resilience that has defined the Jewish community for generations. Like so many of you, I’m looking forward to spending time with my family, lighting the menorah and reflecting on the past year. Every year, this Festival of Lights reminds us that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit has the capacity to shine brightly. This year in particular, we are mindful of the importance of staying true to our principles and our faith as we work to make the world a more just and peaceful place for all. I wish everyone celebrating tonight a very Happy Hanukkah. Warm Regards, David Cicilline Member of Congress

APA Eastern Division meeting: Call for volunteers.

Dear DAVID, We still have some volunteer opportunities available for the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association to be held January 3–6 in Savannah, GA. Volunteers will be asked to work no more than three shifts of up to six hours (including daytime as well as some evenings) during the meeting. Volunteers will assist with registering attendees, managing registration lines, staffing exhibits, checking badges, and answering attendee questions. We will provide training prior to your first shift. Volunteers will receive free registration for the entire meeting so that you can attend any sessions you wish outside of your scheduled shifts, as well as receptions. We will also provide meals during your shifts. If you are interested in volunteering, complete our volunteer sign-up form by Wednesday, December 20. There are only a few volunteer openings available, and the positions will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to seeing you in Savannah! All the best, Melissa Smallbrook Meeting Coordinator

DONALD TRUMPS AMERICA: MY WAY, OR ELSE. PART 2.

Now the question must be asked: Why is Donald Trump behaving in a manner that would seem to be
consistent with A WANNABE STRONGMAN/DICTATOR, WHOSE IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR ONLY SERVES THE INTERESTS OF THE EXTREMIST WING OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

1-  His Campaign Strategy was exactly what you would expect from a Candidate who sought to Divide the Country by RACIAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC LINES. There is NOTHING HE HAS SAID, OR DONE, WHILE OCCUPYING THE WHITE HOUSE THAT SHOULD SUPRISE ANYONE WHO LISTENED TO HIS CAMPAIGN RHETORIC. TRUMP IS EXACTLY WHAT WE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE...

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

2-  He did not earn the office of PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THROUGH A FAIR AND HONEST ELECTION.  BOGUS VOTER TOTALS HANDED HIM THE OFFICE...
(See my posts on this subject.)

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

3-  The Traditional Republican leadership supports him as long as Their Monetary Policies are tied up with the success of the SOCIETY OF HATE AGENDA THAT FUELS THE NEW FASCIST ELEMENT OF THE GOP.  They only turn on him if Their Financial Agenda of DISREGARDING THE NEEDS OF MOST AMERICANS, TO BENEFIT THE WEALTHY, FAILS...

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

4-  Using the Office of President to Endorse and Promote "WEALTH BUILDING" programs on the Internet...

...AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE HE SITS.

GIVEN ALL OF THE ABOVE, WHY SHOULD TRUMP HOLD BACK HIS DESIRE TO MOLD
THE U.S. INTO A COUNTRY THAT MIMICS THE BELIEFS OF HIS BIGGEST SUPPORTERS,
THE FAR RIGHT FANATICS. AFTER ALL, NO CONSEQUENCES SO FAR...