Peter Greenberg reflects on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut.

As a journalist and a writer, I pride myself in being able to jump on a story, get the facts, and, in a professional and unemotional way provide needed perspective. But not today.

Today I find myself unable to do much of anything. Except to be overwhelmed by two overriding emotions: sorrow, and anger. Deep sorrow and sadness for the families whose children were taken from them earlier this morning in the most senseless and violent way, and anger for anyone — and I mean anyone — who would even try to mount an argument against gun control.

Don’t you even TRY to justify your position. And to America’s leaders on both sides of the aisle who have intentionally deferred, deflected, belittled or outright ignored the elephant in the room. This is the time to stop playing to your base and realize that this is a  nonpartisan, nonnegotiable issue that needs to be handled….NOW.

This is much more important than a fiscal cliff — It’s life and death. And we need to rise up as one and deliver a unanimous verdict — with the appropriate consequences–that affirms intelligence, common sense, and humanity.

By Peter Greenberg on PeterGreenberg.com