We are the solution

It has been two weeks since our complacent bubble of self-interest was blown apart in Newtown, CT.

This country has become a nation of self-interest. A nation that pulls in myriad directions intent on individual gain.

A nation run by big-money funded lobbyists. By politicians more concerned with winning another election than with representation. By organizations reveling in power.

The "me" generation encompasses all generations.

Although we complain about what doesn't serve us we are, mostly, apathetic.

But oh so quick to place blame.

But there isn't one solution to the tragedy in Newtown. It isn't just about guns. It is also about health care including mental health, about what our children watch on television, listen to on their playlists, play in their video games. It is about parenting. It is about how we as a society treat each other.

We need to get back to being a nation that pushes. Together. To one end. And it needs to start at the grassroots level. Here. We need to listen to each other instead of pushing our own agendas.

We need to start listening. We need to start compromising. We need to become truly inclusive.

We need to stop thinking that a donation to a local charity or food pantry is good enough. It's not.

We need to stop assuming that someone else will deal with the issues that plague our communities, our country. They won't.

We need to parent our children.

We need to stop judging each other because of differing lifestyles, opinions, beliefs.

We need to tear down the artificial barriers of faith, class, education, money, and see each other as simply human.

We need to include the excluded. We need to take time to get to know each other and to accept each other as we are.

There is no excuse for people to be hungry. For people to be homeless. For people to be ostracized. For people to be bullied. For people to be cold. For people to be lonely.

We are all responsible for the tragedies that befall our communities and our nation.

We are all responsible for fixing what is wrong.

The Advertiser Democrat Editorial Board