Dear NBC and Megyn Kelly,
It has recently been revealed that you intend to give Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist, prime air time to discuss the Sandy Hook Shooting. As a frequent watcher of your network, and as a Connecticut resident, I am appalled.
In December of 2012 I was in eighth grade and attending a public middle school in Stratford, CT, just over half an hour away from Sandy Hook Elementary. I was in my last period English class when we found out what had happened earlier in the day. I remember sitting with my friends, all trying to process the information. All of the local news stations were scrambling to report the shooting. There was a lot of confusion and no one knew what was fact and what had been fabricated. Everyone was scared. Family members and friends from all over the country reached out to make sure we were okay and that we were safe. It took a while for me to process what had happened. It's hard to understand why someone would kill 26 people, especially when you're thirteen. The bus ride home was practically silent. No one knew what to say. I couldn't explain why, but I broke down in tears as soon as I got home.
The following year, I went to a private high school in a neighboring town. There I became friends with people from all over Fairfield County, including Newtown. Before December 14, 2012, Newtown was just a town with a lot of farms and good ice cream, now when people mentioned it there was a distinct moment when you could tell everyone was thinking about what had happened. I heard stories from my upperclassmen friends about how our school turned TVs onto the news stations that day so people could stay informed and make sure their families were safe. I also heard stories from people who live in the neighborhoods surrounding Sandy Hook. Stories of exploitation and pain.
One of the most troubling stories I have ever heard regarding the Sandy Hook Shooting was from a local priest I am friends with. He told me about the funeral masses for the children, how he had to help grieving parents and friends, and how difficult it is to have faith amongst so much suffering. But even worse, were the phone calls he received from conspiracy theorists, like Alex Jones, the man you want to give air time. People called and accused him of lying about everything, saying that the whole thing had been staged and made up. Maybe it's because I go to Newtown fairly often, or because I've run the Viki Soto 5k, but I will never understand why people think this terrible event was staged.
I implore you to think of the families. Think of the mothers and fathers who lost their children. Think of the nieces and nephews who lost aunts, think of the siblings who lost sisters. Think of the community that is still healing. Think of them, and then explain to the world why you want to give Alex Jones a platform to tell the country that their pain isn't real, that they are all lying.
