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May you and your family have a blessed and happy Christmas!

That said, while I would love to be nothing but sweetness and light in the days leading up to Christmas, I must admit that’s a little difficult given the happenings of the past week or so.

First, of course, is the tragedy in Newtown, CT, where 20 little gifts from God were mercilessly gunned down by a madman, as were 6 adults.

The heinous murder of these children at an elementary school was both preceded and followed by the murder of a number of police officers across North America.

Every one of these families has, most likely, had their last happy Christmas for the rest of their lives.  It’s hard to be happy on the anniversary of your child’s death, after all, or on the anniversary of the death of your husband, your wife, your father, brother or son.

So, as the rest of us enjoy Christmas with our families this year, I would like to remind each and every one of you about just how lucky you are as you read this.  The families of the people named below are not so fortunate.

The families of every person named below lost a loved one just days ago and are still grieving that loss… still trying to come to terms with it.

While we celebrate Christmas, I think it would be fitting to take a little time out to remember these families and the tragedy they are living through right this minute.

The Children:

• Charlotte Bacon,
• Daniel Barden,
• Olivia Engel,
• Josephine Gay,
• Ana Marquez-Greene,
• Dylan Hockley,
• Madeline Hsu,
• Catherine Hubbard,
• Chase Kowalski,
• Jesse Lewis,
• James Mattioli,
• Grace McDonnell,
• Emilie Parker,
• Jack Pinto,
• Noah Pozner,
• Caroline Previdi,
• Jessica Rekos,
• Avielle Richman,
• Benjamin Wheeler and
• Allison Wyatt.

The Adults:

• Rachel Davino,
• Dawn Hocksprung,
• Anne Marie Murphy,
• Lauren Russeau,
• Mary Sherlach, and
• Victoria Soto.

The Police:

• RCMP Constable Adrian Oliver,
• Memphis Police Department Patrolman Martoiya Lang,
• Clayton County Police Department Officer Sean Louis Callahan,
• Topeka Police Department Officer Jeff Atherly,
• Topeka Police Department Corporal David Gogian,
• El Paso Police Department Patrolman Angel Garcia, and
• Washington County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sheriff Christopher Parsons.

I hope you will join me in praying for the families of all these slain children, adults and police officers today, Christmas Day 2012.  They all need and deserve our full and complete support as they come to grips with the loss of their loved ones.

Yours in Liberty,

Christopher di Armani