Sandy Hook was a tragedy, not a hoax

TO THE EDITOR:

Every time I read yet another Facebook comment or distastefully written tweet claiming the Sandy Hook tragedy was a hoax, my stomach turns.

I am from Connecticut, fifteen minutes down the road from Sandy Hook and Newtown, and this tragedy has shaken the community, state and nation to its very core.

We all need to remember the 20 children, babies really, and six women who died trying to protect them, and stop propagating these ridiculous accusations.

I bet all of those families wish it wasn’t real.

Every minute of every day they hope and pray that it wasn’t real and they can just wake up from it all.

But it was, in fact, real.

I am very aware that freedom of speech exists and these conspiracy theorists can say whatever they please.

I beg of all of you not to encourage it though.
And if you’re going to agree or spread this filth or whatever you choose to do, please stay off the memorial pages of the victims.

I was reading Vicki Soto’s memorial page earlier today and it is littered with calls to “open your eyes” that this whole thing isn’t real and Soto isn’t dead.

Unfortunately, she is.

So please respect her in death and respect what she did and the lives and families of the others who died.

It is not the time and, most certainly, not the place.

Michelle McCarthy ’13
Hispanic linguistics