It’s easy to get caught up in the news this morning; more devastating news about victims, families, more information about the shooters, more partisan politics, more rage, more hate, more sadness, more helpless feelings from ordinary people like me. I feel asleep listening to some of it last night and I had nightmares literally all night. I woke up in a cold sweat not even realizing I was safe in my own bed, with the king of all snorers next to me. It shakes me to the core. It is easy enough to say “it wasn’t in my town” or “Thank God it wasn’t at our Walmart”, but the fact remains is that each and every person shot is us. It is our Walmart. It is our night club. Those families were there shopping for the first day of school and they had big plans for the days ahead. Those people were getting groceries or picking up medicine, or buying school shoes, or laughing with their families, or maybe they were comforting a crying baby and then all at once everything changed. EVERYTHING changed. It is us…..no one goes out to shop or dance thinking that they will be killed. Isn’t that what happens in third world countries where guerrilla warfare runs rampant? Doesn’t it only happen in those places where people know that they are in danger every single day?? Not here in the United States of America!! Tell me, what is United about these states??

I grew up in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and I don’t recall any of these tragedies. Maybe I am just forgetful but I don’t think so. We didn’t have access to assault rifles, but we did have our hunting rifles, shotguns, and hand guns! We went hunting, we carried our guns in gun racks in the back windows of our pickups and we took hunters safety courses. WE DIDN’T AIM THEM AT EACH OTHER!! We were kids who knew that if we did something away from home that would get us in trouble, we were in more trouble when Dad found out. We got our asses whacked. We had consequences for bad behavior and we knew that taking a life was wrong. Anyone who is quick to blame anything but parenting should stop. It all falls back on the parenting or lack there of. The sickness that has poisoned our Country is on the people who do not hold their children accountable for any behavior and the irresponsible people who have kids to have kids. That sounds unkind. I think it is more unkind to bring children into this world unwanted and unwilling to raise them…. When people are unable to govern themselves in a way that is acceptable, then the law/government will step in and do it for you as well they should. If you are complaining about the government wanting to take your guns, you need to step it on up and be the change. Admit that not every citizen is responsible enough to carry a firearm and do something to toughen the laws. If you are afraid they are coming for yours, then you must subconsciously believe that you are not fit to have firearms. I got nothing to hide!! I can pass the background check as well as a mental health test! Not everyone is sane enough to discern right from wrong nor are they fit to own guns. These are the people that are wielding the AK47’s and carrying out mass shootings.

My family are all hunters. Not one of them shoot deer with an assault rifle. They do not shoot pheasants or quail with assault rifles or rapid fire guns. They hunt with shot guns, long range rifles, both of which will kill you. These insane predators in our society hunt with assault rifles and they are hunting you, your children, your friends, your grandchildren, your family, anyone who gets in the way of their insanity. The time for reform of assault rifles is now! We are just now seeing the second generation of people who are not wired right and are now adults in our society. Whether they were abused as children, born to addicted mothers, neglected, beaten, starved, minimized, whatever the case may be, they are the ones who are socially removed and live without conscience. This fact is terrifying to me because I see it getting worse as the family unit breaks down and the need to give the ribbons increases. They are not required to earn respect, give respect, work, accept our differences, be kind, fit in, play nice with others, it is an anything goes mentality, including allowing half wits to access weapons of mass destruction. How is this any different than a grenade? Pull the pin and throw it into a crowd and you get the same effect. We don’t hand those out to the masses, do we?

I am just tired. I am saddened beyond belief for the families who lost loved ones. I am heartbroken for the baby who lived only because his momma and daddy laid on him to shield him. I am done with people ignoring these kids that are fucked up and no one wants to upset the apple cart or their parents (if they have any) or them by saying it out loud. “Dude, your kid is a fricking menace to society and he’s weird!!! Do something about it!!” It sounds heartless, but tell me where the answer to this problem starts….AT HOME. Do the work. If you don’t want to deal with your sociopath second grader, tell someone!! Any teacher or any person with any semblance of rational thought will tell you that you can spot these kids and the behavior years before it explodes. While finding resources to get them help is difficult, there are places that will help. http://www.HealthyPlace.com has several articles on behavior that might enlighten parents. Google it!! On the outside chance that a reader finds this offensive, I can not apologize. I am more upset by the fact that our society is not waking up to this problem and that they are not offended because they act as if it happens in a land far away…..like El Paso….. or Dayton….or Suffolk..or Elkhart..or LasVegas…or South Bend..or Allentown..or Virginia Beach..or Chicago..or Wichita..or Charlotte..or Fresno..or Baton Rouge..or Hamden..or Paterson..or Atlanta..or Wellston…or Katy..or Albuquerque..or Haskell..or Akron….I can keep going…..ugh….

Until then….I don’t know the answer…just love each other…

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