'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens
When gun control legislation didn't pass after Sandy Hook, I gave up any hope of the US government ever having a reasonable attitude towards guns. If we, as a country, weren't willing to take steps to make it slightly more difficult to murder 5 year-olds on school grounds, I can't think of another line that would need to be crossed to get us there.
Co-worker who was in Vegas this weekend is back in NYC, and alive, thank god.
Not only did Sandy Hook not get them to adopt reasonable gun laws, they won't even denounce Sandy Hook deniers.
I was going to say it was discouraging, then went for depressing, then tried infuriating, but I can't come up with any words that describe the horror and twisting in my chest when I read the news.
I read a thing on twitter about how long it took tobacco legislation to go through. First reports about effects of smoking were in the late 60s, but big tobacco owned politicians. You could still smoke on planes in the 80s. Now you can't smoke in public spaces in most of the country. I think change can happen. Everytown joining with Mom's Demand and having Bloomberg $$ behind them is making a difference in State Houses slowly, but surely. Congress does not lead on these things, it follows, after it feels the will of the country shift undeniably. Pound any politicians in your state with how much money they take from the NRA and other gun lobbyists. Some political challenger will soon run an add saying that a sitting Congressman or Senator made money off these dead bodies and it will catch. May not be this year, but I think it will happen.
I picked my nephew up from school and got him to swim practice and home.
At the school I saw a kid that looked like Matilda and Emmett's young sibling.
Then as I was leaving a Dad that looked like Hec.
After swim practice my nephew didn't want to leave. He would dunk under the water as soon as I would get close. I realized I had no influence and no way to get him to do anything. I finally said if he didn't get out I was going to jump in and get him.
He laughed and said I'd be fined for wearing clothes in the pool and as I dropped my purse and keys I said I'd pay it and eexplain to the situation.
After he got out I reminded him I was doing this because Mom is sick. And that of he can't follow directions from me I'll talk to his parents and let them know they need to come up with another option for short notice when mom is sick.
I didn't want to be mean or yell or say "wait until I tell your parents".
Friday a student took a gun to my nephew's high school and killed herself. I can't imagine what the mood at that school must have been today. A couple of my high school classmates teach there now.
Timelies all!
I'd ask for a do-over on today(news-wise, not personally), but there have been too many days lately that need them.
I had a dream last night that a bunch of us were at an in-person event that our community had become part of. b.org was still here, but used less and less and this larger community worked in much the same way. Anyway I made some mention of Buffistas and it became this WHOLE BIG thing - members of the other community accused us of hiding a secret place from them. Y'all were all mad at me for mentioning it - and then somewhere in the middle of this live-action Bureaublahblah thread of arguments and whatnot - a kid stands up (cause there are small children at this gathering, unclear why) and his eyes go completely black and he looks right into someone else's eyes and they die. Like instantly die and the kid's eyes flip back to normal and he takes off running.
WELCOME TO MY SUBCONSCIOUS.
I would really like to call in sick tomorrow, but I have three meetings before noon.
