I've about had it with America and Americans. The Oregon school shooting was the third story on NPR news today.
The third story. After political wrangling and Syrian drama the newscaster finally got to a dead student in a public high school.
A dead student ... shot ... in a public school..... and it ranks third on the list of newsworthy items. Something is definitely wrong here.
The shooter was 14 years old. Have you been in the presence of a 14 year old boy lately? Cogent thinking and raging hormones are not usually seen in the same being, and 14 year old boys (for the most part.... don't start with me, Big Cuter!) are living breathing hormonal messes. They can't help it; it's part of growing up. Learning to manage the feelings while positively interacting with the world surrounding those feelings is a major task of middle school. Adding weaponry to the mix leads to disaster.
How does Little Cuter relax and send FlapJilly to school in the morning? That school, at the end of her delightfully peaceful suburban street, looks just like Sandy Hook Elementary. I'm imagining helicopters with cameras hovering above the playground, beaming pictures of frightened students around the world. I understand the mom quoted on CBS News: "I don't want to send my kids to school anymore."
Where is the outrage? Do we need another hearing on Benghazi? How about a hearing on the relationship between gun and ammunition manufacturers and the NRA and other anti-sensible-legislation groups? How about a thorough, comprehensive, all-inclusive, every angle review of school safety procedures? What works? Who knows?
And, who cares?
We all grieve. We're getting very good at that part. We bemoan the state of affairs over coffee. That part, too, has been honed to perfection. But finding a solution? Analyzing the problem from all sides, listening instead of pontificating, wondering instead of ranting.... where is that?
I'm already afraid to go to the movies. I don't linger in front of the grocery store. I'm hyper-vigilant in crowded and public spaces. I don't know what I'd do if I had to worry about sending my kid to school, too.
Yes, it's gone nuts. I think to some degree around the world and I have to wonder why. What is behind this rage that justifies terrorist bombings or someone setting out to kill those they don't even know? I have no idea but doubt that Congress could figure it out, not with their emphasis on getting dollars to support their runs for office and outrageous perks! I wonder if anyone can. I get emails sometimes from those who are into the mystical and they are blaming it on the stars. I guess that's as good a place to put it as anything-- except leaves us just as helpless as if it's simply not good enough mental health evaluations in the schools...
ReplyDeleteWere we always this angry as a people? As a culture?
DeleteCongress is, has been, will be useless on this issue... the money is corrupting the honest responses, I think.
Blame the stars.... blame bad parenting.... blame insecure school campuses... blame, blame, blame....
I am teetering on the pin point of the issue and it hurts.
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Our local paper did not even put the Troutdale shooting on the front page. It was buried 7 pages in. That's how commonplace it has become. We are indeed a sick society. What will history say of us in 100 years?
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of it too. I just keep wondering if we are making a difference. 74 school shootings since Newtown-74! That's a lot of school shootings. People are becoming apathetic and it's quite disturbing that as President Obama said, “We're the only developed country on earth where this happens and it happens now once a week, and it's a one day story. There's no place else like this".
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/obama-calls-gun-violence-biggest-frustration-president-n127756
And in some places, it's not even covered. One has to wonder why that is? Does the NRA control the media and they are trying to keep the shootings quiet? We have an epidemic on our hands and yet people are complacent. I'm so disillusioned lately and scared for my family. :(
The only way I can think of to fix this is to vote out those in Congress who oppose sensible gun laws. I'm a gun-sense voter.
Megan xxx
Me, too... scared, appalled and a gun-sense voter.
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It scared me when it first came out because it said Oregon HS and I have a grandchild in one of those. It was a relief to hear it was not hers but no relief to find some innocent child was shot just for probably being in the wrong place. It's so easy to do.
ReplyDeleteI have a book called Generations and it lays out how one generation impacts another and changes them. I think it goes in cycles. Certainly we have had dangerous times but nothing like this in my lifetime. I wonder now if the media with shows like Game of Thrones where people root for someone to get killed and all these violent video games have layed a role.
This shooter though seems like he had goals for his life, belief in a religion and yet... I don't have any answers except it's very scary times. I also think long and hard where I am going to go and listen for loud sounds. And I do carry a purse sized pepper spray. Not sure though it'd help. It does not hurt to have it.
Is it a measure of tragedy overload that I can't remember which hero saved others by using pepper spray? That's a good idea, and a lot less scary to the onlooker than toting an AK47.
DeleteSO glad it wasn't your grandkid's school... cannot imagine the terror you felt. And THAT is even more worrisome... it's not only the ones who are directly impacted but those on the periphery who suffer as well.
I'm going to find and read Generations; your musings are significant and I want more!
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'Generations' is particularly useful if you are looking to write historical stories as people don't all think the same way and there is a reason for it. According to the book, the patterns are repeated. And I don't know if any hero did with a pepper spray but not many with handguns have either-- at least not untrained ones. A few women have gotten an attacker to leave them alone. I consider it a better option than carrying a gun where if you are wrong, you might shoot the wrong person. You do have to watch that the wind is with you ;). It's easy to get and lightweight which is a plus also
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