The nation grieves and reacts

T he senseless slaughter of 20 first-graders and six adults Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., sent shock waves across the nation. President Barack Obama moved quickly to combat a culture of violence in America. Can Congress stand up to a gun-rights lobby that poured money into the campaigns of 47 percent of the new House members and 42 senators in the past election cycle? Time will tell.