Whenever I see news video on distant war-torn nations, I cringe at the images of crying children, clinging to their parents. I think of what their world must be like. I think of how emotionally scarred they must be from the violence. 

I change the channel and see images of students in our country fleeing in terror from their school. Many are crying as parents cling to them in relief and horror. I think of what their world must be like. I think of how emotionally scarred they must be. 

Are we raising a generation of emotionally scarred children, whether they're directly or indirectly affected by gunfire? The common denominator − can we finally say it − is the availability of guns.

Each time we have another shooting there's a brief conversation, but nothing changes. As for that common denominator, many legislators lack backbone, and many of them were brought to us by NRA campaign money. 

Are we really willing to let our children and grandchildren grow up under this cloud of fear? There's the classic story of kids asking their parents, "What did you do in the war, Daddy?" Are we going to answer a similar question on what we did about gun violence as, "Nothing. We did absolutely nothing."

Teresa Norris

Mystic