…I have been silent here on my website blog…fielding the events of our society’s everyday harsh realities while trying to sort through the maze of staying current without sinking too deep into the pit of despair*...knowing that so many are suffering, hurting…again…
Just 2 days after my last post – Remembering the Children (of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing in the UK)– there was yet another mass shooting here in the USA focused on children. In school. Defenseless, easy targets here in the land of the free, home of the brave.
I thought about re-posting the photo-quote I’d made, but really – recycled sentiments? For such tender times?
Instead, here is my mini-commentary. While my feelings and thoughts run deep, they aren’t put out there for ‘show’ or ‘grandstanding’. I’m more of a one-on-one communicator when it comes to deeper complex issues. However, I realized I could not move forward without saying something here.
Following the ‘logic’ offered in defense of easy access to firearms/weapons of all sorts as ‘doing things literally as the founding fathers intended’ I posit: where in the world does it say in the second amendment that Assault Weapons/Weapons of War are the ‘arms’ meant for an American’s right to bear?
Possession of an AR-15 is a far cry from Daniel Boone’s hunting for squirrels or raccoons with his trusty shotgun.
Where has the intent to protect ourselves from threatening outsiders become a right to attack, traumatize and kill school children busy learning, socializing, working and playing within their classrooms?
What right does any American have to take away a child’s childhood and future?
Mass shooting attacks outside the context of war or third world regimes are considered uniquely American.
Part of our national character.
A far cry from the founding fathers’ intent, indeed.
* reference: from a scene in The Princess Bride, a lighthearted movie beloved across all generations.
Laura, here in Europe we watch in aghast and asbsolute incomprehension as the laws allowing these weapons remain in America. The tragedy of all thoe young lives lost is heartbreaking, yet it is allowed to happen again and again. In the 80s in the UK there was one mass school shooting and immediately ownership of most type of weapons was banned – a law supported across the parties. When, if ever, will reason prevail? When will the lives of children be put first?
I know 🙁
Thank you Annika, for your European perspective.
I agree wiyh what L .Marie says above
I am a retired teacher and I am frightened buy what happened in Texas.
I understand your fear completely. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your empathy for us in the US.
It’s the fact that mass murder shootings are considered distinctly American that concerns me. I am horrified by how easy it is for a deranged person to get a weapon of war. There’s no sense to it.
I agree, Ms Bean.
Yes sometimes blogging is challenging when there is such great tragedy in our country and the world. I was blocked for a bit as nothing I wrote seemed to matter. I appreciate your sentiments and I do not think it is a 2nd amendment rights debate – I think it is – why does anyone but the military or police need these type of weapons (and why on earth would an 18 year old be given access to them?). I think I can never get numb to the mass shootings, each one rips my heart out afresh.
“I think I can never get numb to the mass shootings, each one rips my heart out afresh.”
Me, too.
I find this too with my blog, writing about the “life” that sends me into despair – having to articulate somehow how I feel about “life” seems to help and the encouragement and kind thoughts I get helps. More so that the real time “face2face” meetups. I saw a list of the schools hit in your fair country for many years and I was shocked. Yes who has the “right to take lives”
The world has gone mad…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts…
Thank you, Catherine. Yes, it’s a balancing act trying to stay engaged & sensitive to what’s going on around us and keeping ‘sane’. Take care.
Hi Laura! I share that exact same sentiment. Our fore founders never imagined that the right to bear arms would be interpreted to include everyday citizens carrying automatic assault rifles with hundreds of rounds being fired inside a school. Or carried to a protest or insurrection. A nearby city had a shooting at a FUNERAL, in the cemetery. Can you imagine? Two people killed while saying a prayer over their loved ones death. WTH. ~sigh~ I don’t know what the answer is but we have to try one until we get the correct one. My heart hurts for all of those families, losing their young ones needlessly. {{Hugs}} Roseanne
We are of the same mind and hope, Roseanne.
Thank you for this. I feel the same and have struggled with what to say.
For myself, I realized I was paralyzed…I also realized that in order to move forward I had to at least try to say something. Otherwise, all else that got put up on my blog would feel like fluff to me and erode my own sense of integrity…
Hang in there, Janis.
So glad you added your eloquent thoughts here, Laura. The solidarity makes the pain slightly less to know there are like-minded thinkers out there. May we somehow find a way out of this madness.
I needed to hear that, Marty. Thank you.
A heartfelt post, Laura. My heart goes out to all parents, families, friends and communities affected by this tragedy. It is difficult not to sink into the pit of despair… Take care!
Yes, Khaya, keeping personal emotional balance is ever challenging, as I know you know. Take care dear one and thank you for your support – I feel it across the waters.
Your mini-commentary is so well written, so clear and logical. If only crazy people could be persuaded by logic …
Thank you for letting me know my little commentary was understood. I’m afraid the old-timey phrase response to societal differences “Only in America!” is no longer funny for me at all these days.
The part of your post about mass shootings being part of your country’s National character reminds me of a poem that I’ve read recently by Brian Bilston. He uses clichéd symbols to represent different countries. It’s called America Is A Gun.
Oh. My. Lord have mercy.
Brave, articulate Laura.
Oh Mariss, thank you for that.
“Part of our national character.”
Horrifying to be identified thus.
…and reputations are hard to change, too.
🙁
You are taking on a tricky subject, Laura! I have read a number of different points of view on the issue and I’m slowly coming to my own conclusions. Since I don’t want to stir up controversy one way or another, and not being interested in an argument, I’m not sharing my conclusions here at this time. Thank you for your post!
See, that’s just it – you’re examining various points of view, fact-checking, even allowing your heartstrings to be tugged a little…then coming to your own conclusions. You’d be surprised how that way of parsing life issues is more an anomaly rather than a go-to method of thought. Wayne, thanks for your comment – it’s like a breath of (home) mountain air in the springtime!
😎
It is sad. So many innocent lives with great potential-lost.I think we need to focus on our obligations, rather than our rights.Some people want to arm the teachers. That is crazy. They are there to teach and I think that most will echo that sentiment.
That thing about arming the teachers has been around as a ‘solution’ ever since Sandy Hook…unbelievable, I know.
Well said, Laura. This is a really sad time. We need God’s wisdom.
Thank you L.Marie for your encouragement that what I posted was ‘well said’. Since you work with words as a profession, I feel much relieved on that front.
Yes, God’s wisdom and the strength to follow through…
I remember Chicago summers…more heat than just that recorded on the thermometer.
🙁