Current Events? Here Goes.

I normally don’t get political. I keep scrolling when I see controversial rants on Facebook. I vote but keep my thoughts to myself.

Maybe that’s part of the problem.

So. Here’re my two cents on recent school shootings.

1. I can’t believe I had to type the plural form of shooting. I sincerely (and naively) thought as I watched the coverage of the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, “Something will be done now.” I can’t believe six years later, more children have died because of inaction and politics.
2. I don’t understand why an eighteen year old can buy a semi-automatic weapon, but a person has to be twenty-five to rent a car. That thinking looks like we value cars more than people’s (children’s) lives.
3. I can’t believe mental health is still such a taboo topic we can’t offer proper help to those who need it.
4. I can’t believe how lax some school administrations are in dealing with bullying. Here’s a case in point: a family member teaches fourth grade. One of her students recently threatened another student’s life. She sent him to the office. The office sent him back with a message to deal with it in her classroom. She talked with the student and him another spot to sit in the story circle. He said it didn’t matter where he sat. He’d still want to kill the other student. This story isn’t a made up one or a Facebook share. It’s a real one. I’m wondering what that nine-year-old student will be doing in ten years?
5. I can’t believe some people think arming teachers is a good idea. Teachers are already crushed with too many responsibilities. Teachers are usually called to teach, not wield weapons.
6. I’m so sad that our all-about-me culture or our not-my-business culture is sometimes blinded to someone who is clearly shouting for help. The TV interviews usually have the same theme: “He didn’t have many friends.” “He liked to hurt animals.” “He said he was going to ______, but I didn’t believe him.”
7. I can’t believe how powerful the NRA is, and I don’t understand why. Okay. I know. Money. But is money really more important than a classroom of first graders thinking about Christmas or Hanukkah ? A parking lot full of people enjoying music? A church on Sunday morning? A high school building with teenagers trying to summon the courage to ask someone to prom, trying to fill out college applications, trying to figure out an algebra problem?
8. I don’t understand why any civilian needs an automatic weapon or a bump stock.

I don’t have the answers to this horrific epidemic we’re living in, but I know we have to find them.