America- Where Mass Death Has Become A Mere Inconvenience

"We can't become numb to this!"

Eighteen second- through fourth-graders and three adults. All of them dead at the hand of an 18-year-old madman with guns and a heart full of hate For some reason, he possessed the willingness to carry out a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. It’s likely that none of the students were as old as ten. Unfortunately, as happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012, too many young children will never grow up.

A parent should be able to drop their child off at school without having to fear for their safety. They should know without a doubt that they’ll return home unharmed that afternoon. Sadly, 18 children in Uvalde didn’t return home yesterday, and they never will again.

One of the the worst parts of yesterday was listening to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz act as if they cared about the lives lost. For years, both of them, along with Sen. John Cornyn and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have prostrated themselves before the gun lobby. They’ve done the bidding of those who consider the 2nd Amendment to be more precious than life itself. So to watch Cruz’s crocodile tears and Abbott’s words of faux concern were sickening.

Neither of them gives a damn about anything that doesn’t have the potential to advance their political prospects. Cruz even went so far as to accuse Democrats of attempting to politicize the shooting in Uvalde, as if asking for something to be done is somehow indecent and beyond the pale.

It was heart-breaking to listen to Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who represents Newtown, CT, as he stood on the floor of the Senate imploring his colleagues, “What are we doing?” The answer, which is evident to anyone paying attention, is nothing. The gun lobby, led by the National Rifle Association (NRA), owns enough Congresspeople to ensure that no legislation adverse to its interests ever comes up for a vote.

What are we doing? Why, nothing at all, but thanks for asking, Senator.

So far this year, there have been more mass shootings (defined as a shooting injuring or killing four or more people) than calendar days. That’s right; there’s been more than one mass shooting per day in 2022. This happens nowhere else in the world, which means that it’s preventable. Yet the people we elect to pass laws continue to do nothing to address this problem.

Mass shooters are increasingly choosing “soft” targets- places with no security presence. Who would think to have armed security at a grocery store, a church, a synagogue, or a movie theater? Even most schools are “soft” targets because communities tend to resist the idea of turning their schools into armed camps. After all, who wants to send their children off to the equivalent of a forward observation post every day? How is that sort of atmosphere conducive to learning?

Short answer: It’s not.

I’m so sick of wondering where and when the next mass shooting will be- and there WILL be a next one, probably before we’re anywhere near finished mourning this one. Or perhaps not even that long. If Congress refuses to take action, nothing will change, and the status quo ante will be more bloodshed and more sorrow for more American families.

But, as long as the gun industry continues to maintain its profit levels, it’s all good. The gun lobby will keep pouring money into the campaign war chests of Congresspeople they own support, and nothing will change. After all, it’s not like anyone they know has been the victim of a mass shooting.

When Erin and I were in Norway, we spoke about this problem with one of her cousins, a policeman who’d spent several years as a member of Norway’s national police force. He explained that Norway doesn’t ban gun ownership, but the requirements to be allowed to own a gun are quite strict. One can’t walk into a gun shop and buy a weapon because they want one. First, they must be able to document an excellent reason for owning a gun. Then they must pass a rigorous background check. Any history of mental instability, domestic violence, drug abuse, or criminal behavior will disqualify you from being allowed to purchase a weapon.

Compare that to here in America, where if you can breathe and have a pulse, you can purchase an AR-15 and an AK-47 on your 18th birthday. Hey, Happy Birthday, kid!!! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!

Here in America, we’ve allowed ourselves to be held hostage to Proudly Closed-Minded Gun Control Foes, people who value the 2nd Amendment more than even the sanctity of life. They consider the loss of innocent life, like 18 children and three adults in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, to be the cost of freedom.

Yes, the Tree of Freedom must occasionally be watered with the blood of Patriots…just as long as those Patriots aren’t someone we know and love.

You can do that when you don’t give a damn about the loss of innocent lives.

Yes, babies were murdered. Perhaps not literal babies, but it’s likely that none of the students slaughtered were over the age of ten. How very pro-life of them, eh? Because you can bet that most of those who rebel at the idea that "Liberal gun grabbers" might breach the 2nd Amendment in even the slightest of terms proclaim themselves to be proudly pro-life.

No advanced civilization worthy of the name could tolerate a situation where mass shootings happen with such distressing regularity. Accordingly, I eagerly await the heartfelt cascade of Republican thoughts and prayers. It’s the Conservative way of expressing that they don’t care enough to do anything without saying the quiet part out loud.

Since the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999, we’ve learned to be aghast at the latest mass shooting, then forget it all and move on within a couple of days. Why? Because Congress has made it crystal clear that they have no intention of doing ANYTHING that might improve the situation. Plenty of Congresspeople are owned lock, stock, and barrel by the NRA and the gun lobby, and they’d never bite the hand that writes the checks.

It’s sick, corrupt, and completely transparent, but it continues because we the people refuse to elect people who aren’t sucking at the teat of the gun lobby.

The sad thing is that in a few days, or perhaps a week or two, someone will walk into a grocery store, a mall, a church, or a school with a weapon of war. The result will be another mass shooting, with perhaps five, ten, 15, or more innocent people dead. People in the local community will be shocked and horrified. Leaders will ask for our thoughts and prayers. And the nation will mourn again. For at least a day or two.

And then it will happen. Again. And again. And again. Ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

Because if nothing changes, nothing will change.

The most obvious place to start is with assault weapons. There’s absolutely no reason for a civilian to own a weapon with only one purpose- to kill human beings in combat. You can’t hunt with an AK-47 or an AR-15; you’d have to pick up your prey with a pair of tongs and a plastic bag. If these weapons are fully automatic, you could cut a human being in half in a split second.

The assault weapons ban of 1994 expired in 2004, and Congress failed to renew it, in part because there was disagreement over the ban’s effectiveness. It seems more likely than not that the assault weapons ban had at least a small impact on gun violence. Still, there’s no compelling reason for a civilian to own a weapon of war. Even soldiers can only carry M-16s (the fully automatic version of the AR-15) when in training or war zones. Otherwise, soldiers must secure their weapons in armories. Civilians are allowed to carry them virtually anywhere they choose, depending on the laws of the state where they live.

In Georgia, for example, one can carry a loaded AR-15 into a crowded airport. But, of course, you’d only want to try that if you were White. (Ed. note: While legal, this is most definitely NOT recommended for Black people. The result could be hazard to your health. Or your life.)

Rep. Gonzales posted the above tweet yesterday. This monster is proud that he’s standing up for the 2nd Amendment because he’s owned by the NRA and values gun rights more than the right to not be slaughtered by a madman carrying a weapon of war.

Very pro-life of him, don’tchathink?

I honestly don’t know how much more I can write about this. I’m damned close to being out of words. It’s tough…because I feel that if people like me give up, we’re condemning innocent people who don’t even know their time is close to being up to a horrible and untimely death.

Yet what good have my words done? I’ve been writing on this topic for years, and nothing has changed. It feels as if the will of the people, the vast majority of whom want to see common sense gun control, doesn’t matter. We have the numbers, but not the money and political power.

What matters is the power and money of the NRA and the gun lobby, since they value profits over human life. Monsters and sociopaths can do that, especially when the victims aren’t people they know or care about.

I listened to Steve Kerr’s news conference prior to Game 4 of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals, and it left me in tears. He spoke for millions of Americans as he pounded on the dais. You could hear the pain and frustration in his voice as he struggled to maintain his composure. I’m not certain I could’ve done the same.

I’m sick and tired of senseless death. I’m tired of parents burying children. I’m tired of politicians offering thoughts and prayers while refusing to take meaningful action.

Pro-life, my ass.

At some point, enough has to become too much to bear. Why can’t that be now?

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