AGAIN

I don't recall how many blog posts I've written about school/mass shootings, two of which were local -- a high school attended by the daughter of friends and one involving a gathering of teens where the son of a friend was shot and injured by a jilted boyfriend of one of the girls he killed.

Now, Uvalde, Texas.  19 children, ages 7-10, and 2 teachers were slaughtered the other day by a young man who legally bought two AR-15 assault rifles for his 18th birthday last week prior to his decision to kill.

I can't look at the photos of the kids and teachers on TV, in the papers, on social media.  I only see innocence; I only see my own granddaughters in their faces.  I see my best friend's daughter, 5th grade teacher extraordinaire, moving to protect her students.  My heart breaks anew with every glimpse at those lively, smiling faces and then their grief-stricken parents and families. 

I have nothing eloquent or motivating or interesting to add to the already well-articulated outrage and grief that is everywhere.  But I can post this list, broken up into multiple screen shot photos.  I can post this list of America's tolerance for shameful violence against children.  Guns are the #1 killer of children and teens in America.  Guns!

And with each mass killing we hear about "thoughts and prayers".  We hear about the fact the 90% of Americans favor some sort of regulation on gun ownership.  We hear about an entrenched political party that will not move gun safety legislation forward.  We hear about the National Rifle Association which seems to have those recalcitrant politicians in their grasp.  We hear about the terrorizing of our children, who practice "active shooter" drills as part of their curriculum.  We hear that it's a mental health issue, not a gun issue.  And we see that statistics that tell a different story -- we are by far the most violent democratic, economically stable country on earth.  Others have mental health issues. Others have poverty and crime. Others have all the problems we have.  But they also have the will to say NO to the ridiculous notion that gun ownership is a right without restriction.  

They do not glorify guns and violence as uniquely American.  Our country was founded on violence and continues to be violent to this day.  We put up with it.  It's part of our culture. I saw a man at my local grocery store last week wearing a t-shirt that announced, "In God We Trust -- The Guns Are Just Back-Up", with an American Eagle bracketed by images of rifles.  He wore his sentiment proudly.  I wanted to cry...or rage.

There is the usual taking sides right now...until all this fades until the next time.  I guess there will never be a day when enough is enough for some people.  As for me, my heart breaks...every time.

At least, that's the view from here...©

Here is a partial list of schools where gun violence has occurred in the U.S.  According to National World magazine, since 1970 there have been 2052 incidents of gun violence in American schools, killing 661 children and adults.  America is a gun.