I legitimately do not have time to be writing this blog post. I made a conscious decision to forgo my personal reading and writing while I'm in school. BUT FOR FUCKS SAKE then today happened.
*WARNING* before you read any further. I'm emotional and I'm intending to use colorful language. If you have a problem with that close your damn browser.
My day started at 438am. My phone vibrated with the distinctive movement that belongs to my person. He left for Las Vegas yesterday morning, for work, and will be there until Thursday. It was a simple text message "FYI. I am ok." I replied "ok?" and then "What's up?" As I was waiting for a reply, I started to worry that his cold was more than a cold and he'd had to go to urgent care or the ER, or that there was a fire at the hotel, or that he'd made a made a bad bet with a shady character. And while I was STILL waiting for a reply I opened twitter, because if I'm looking at my phone, it's usually twitter. And then without even having to scroll I knew why he was texting me.
Mandalay Bay. Shooting. Concert. 50 dead. 200+ wounded (FYI, those numbers have since grown to 58 and over 500). My person was safe. But almost 600 other people were not. Let me give you the perspective that has been stuck in my head today. That is essentially every sole in Macomb HS either dead or wounded. EVERY SINGLE MOTHERFUCKING ONE. Normal people taking a Sunday night break from their laundry and dishes and kid shuffling and bill paying to go cut loose a little and listen to some music. Cowering as shots rained down on them, from what was reportedly an illegal gun, which, judging from the sounds of the video I've watched, holding clips that contained a phenomenally devastating number of bullets.
And since the shooting started we've been having the same old stupid debate. Gun control proponents trying to shame the NRA 2nd amendment loving gun people. Invoking images of Sandy Hook. Pointing out that we are the only "civilized" nation in which the number of people lost to gun violence is nearly equal to that of people who die in car accidents. Bill O'Reilly says that shootings like these are the price we must pay for freedom. Some Network VP says that the country music people had it coming because they're usually republicans anyway. `
So I've been taking this all in on twitter and Facebook and the news networks, and you know what I find striking? It's legitimately the same damn word vomit that comes out every single time we are faced, as a nation, by some new unspeakable horror. Same sentiments, same words, same fight. Does anyone budge? Nope. Do the antiquated, out of touch 2 dominant political parties work together? Does the heated debate on social media sway anyone's views? Nope.
So what the actual fuck are we doing?
I want someone to tell me what happened to humanity. I want someone to explain to me how you can watch the news, see the videos, look at the numbers, and not think "WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING."
Why is partisanship more important than everything?
Why can confederate flag waving white men march through a city with tiki torches but football players can't kneel?
Why can't we agree that 560 people dead and wounded in 15 minutes is terrorism regardless of the color of his skin or the nature of his religion?
Why can't we be so sickened by the unending violence that we forget our political alliances and work together?
Why does everything have to be about someone winning and someone losing? Can't we just agree that we are all losing right now?
I'm struck by the insane incongruity in the arguments I'm seeing. 2011/2012. Post 9/11. The Patriot Act. Who overwhelmingly advocated for the right for the government to impede upon EVERYONE's right to privacy? Mostly republicans. "Extraordinary sacrifices must be made to keep us safe from terrorists." Who opposes. Largely the democrats. "You cannot give the government that kind of power sacrificing personal rights to the government."
Sandy Hook. Aurora. Las Vegas. (Too many others for me to remember them all). Who is consistently advocating for extensive gun control or restriction? Mostly democrats. "We must do something to keep us safe." The gun lobby opposes. Vehemently. With their deep pockets. Top 20 recipients of their money? All republican. "We are guaranteed the right to bear arms by the second amendment. The government cannot impose on my rights."
You know what just keeps happening? People keep dying. And we keep having the same conversation. I'm weary. I don't know what the actual answer is, but there is one. Not one that prevents sick and angry people from committing violence. Not one that prevents all loss of innocent life. Not one that makes gun violence go away. I'm not insane. But can we not take a deep breath, look at the carnage that is happening right here and agree that SOMETHING has to happen? Because honestly, if you can look me in the face. NO. Go look a grieving parent, or partner or child right now and tell them that this is just the price we pay for freedom, I don't want to talk to you anymore, because you are missing a huge part of your humanity and you can't be part of the solution.
*WARNING* before you read any further. I'm emotional and I'm intending to use colorful language. If you have a problem with that close your damn browser.
My day started at 438am. My phone vibrated with the distinctive movement that belongs to my person. He left for Las Vegas yesterday morning, for work, and will be there until Thursday. It was a simple text message "FYI. I am ok." I replied "ok?" and then "What's up?" As I was waiting for a reply, I started to worry that his cold was more than a cold and he'd had to go to urgent care or the ER, or that there was a fire at the hotel, or that he'd made a made a bad bet with a shady character. And while I was STILL waiting for a reply I opened twitter, because if I'm looking at my phone, it's usually twitter. And then without even having to scroll I knew why he was texting me.
Mandalay Bay. Shooting. Concert. 50 dead. 200+ wounded (FYI, those numbers have since grown to 58 and over 500). My person was safe. But almost 600 other people were not. Let me give you the perspective that has been stuck in my head today. That is essentially every sole in Macomb HS either dead or wounded. EVERY SINGLE MOTHERFUCKING ONE. Normal people taking a Sunday night break from their laundry and dishes and kid shuffling and bill paying to go cut loose a little and listen to some music. Cowering as shots rained down on them, from what was reportedly an illegal gun, which, judging from the sounds of the video I've watched, holding clips that contained a phenomenally devastating number of bullets.
And since the shooting started we've been having the same old stupid debate. Gun control proponents trying to shame the NRA 2nd amendment loving gun people. Invoking images of Sandy Hook. Pointing out that we are the only "civilized" nation in which the number of people lost to gun violence is nearly equal to that of people who die in car accidents. Bill O'Reilly says that shootings like these are the price we must pay for freedom. Some Network VP says that the country music people had it coming because they're usually republicans anyway. `
So I've been taking this all in on twitter and Facebook and the news networks, and you know what I find striking? It's legitimately the same damn word vomit that comes out every single time we are faced, as a nation, by some new unspeakable horror. Same sentiments, same words, same fight. Does anyone budge? Nope. Do the antiquated, out of touch 2 dominant political parties work together? Does the heated debate on social media sway anyone's views? Nope.
So what the actual fuck are we doing?
I want someone to tell me what happened to humanity. I want someone to explain to me how you can watch the news, see the videos, look at the numbers, and not think "WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING."
Why is partisanship more important than everything?
Why can confederate flag waving white men march through a city with tiki torches but football players can't kneel?
Why can't we agree that 560 people dead and wounded in 15 minutes is terrorism regardless of the color of his skin or the nature of his religion?
Why can't we be so sickened by the unending violence that we forget our political alliances and work together?
Why does everything have to be about someone winning and someone losing? Can't we just agree that we are all losing right now?
I'm struck by the insane incongruity in the arguments I'm seeing. 2011/2012. Post 9/11. The Patriot Act. Who overwhelmingly advocated for the right for the government to impede upon EVERYONE's right to privacy? Mostly republicans. "Extraordinary sacrifices must be made to keep us safe from terrorists." Who opposes. Largely the democrats. "You cannot give the government that kind of power sacrificing personal rights to the government."
Sandy Hook. Aurora. Las Vegas. (Too many others for me to remember them all). Who is consistently advocating for extensive gun control or restriction? Mostly democrats. "We must do something to keep us safe." The gun lobby opposes. Vehemently. With their deep pockets. Top 20 recipients of their money? All republican. "We are guaranteed the right to bear arms by the second amendment. The government cannot impose on my rights."
You know what just keeps happening? People keep dying. And we keep having the same conversation. I'm weary. I don't know what the actual answer is, but there is one. Not one that prevents sick and angry people from committing violence. Not one that prevents all loss of innocent life. Not one that makes gun violence go away. I'm not insane. But can we not take a deep breath, look at the carnage that is happening right here and agree that SOMETHING has to happen? Because honestly, if you can look me in the face. NO. Go look a grieving parent, or partner or child right now and tell them that this is just the price we pay for freedom, I don't want to talk to you anymore, because you are missing a huge part of your humanity and you can't be part of the solution.
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