This has been on my mind all day, and since it is our last blog post, I felt that it would be appropriate to write about it, and I will tie this into Facebook/social networks a little as well.

I live only 30 minutes away from Newtown, CT, and I cannot even begin to imagine what that community is going through, let alone the families of those who lost loved ones.  This is a tragedy of enormous proportions, and it is so hard to imagine what the people who were affected by this were going through.  This has been the only thing on the news all day, the only thing people around where I live are talking about, and it is bound to be on the cover of the New York Times tomorrow, and rightly so.  It has sparked much debate over the second amendment, but I think that this transcends any gun laws.  There have been way too many occurrences like this in recent history, and the horrifying thought is that there is no solution to it.  In my opinion, it really isn’t a gun problem; it is a human problem.  It is terrifying to know that things like this do happen, and that stricter gun control wouldn’t solve anything because sick, deranged people, it seems, will always be able to find a way to do what they set out to do. This has really hit home that much harder for me since it took place only a couple towns over from where I live.

Needless to say, in today’s world, any story of this scale will become a huge thing on social networks.  The only thing on my Facebook and Twitter feeds all day has been people posting about this tragedy and expressing condolences to those affected.  Another thing that has occurred on Facebook is that the brother of the gunman started to update his Facebook page explaining that it was not him, that he was at work, and seemingly was using Facebook to serve as his alibi for when the cops came to question him.

Another part of this that reached social networks took place on twitter. There is an account @Ryan­­_Lanza that has blown up on Twitter.  It is the account of a teenage kid that happens to have the same name as the gunman’s, brother, and hundreds of people have starting following him and tweeting at him, many wondering if it was his account.  It is amazing to see how fast word spreads and how quickly it takes over social networking sites.

There is no other word to describe today’s events than tragic.  Things like this just shouldn’t happen.  It is a horrific tragedy and my thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected.