It's not often that I sit here, getting ready to write one of these entries, and have nothing to say. Sometimes I struggle trying to think of what to write about, but somehow it always flows.
Today, I am speechless.
I am not exactly speechless, but my brain is such a jumble that trying to sort it out is overpowering.
I have been on the verge of tears ever since the shooting in Florida. I have alternated between fighting tears and wanting to explode in anger, especially this morning when Our Beloved Leader stood up, did not take questions, spouted a bunch of meaningless platitudes and ended with "we are here for you. We want to do whatever it takes to make you feel better."
How about strengthening the gun laws, Mr. President? I suspect the survivors of this tragedy would feel somewhat better if they could at least think that the loss of their loved one led to some change in the rules in this country. But it won't. Someone pointed out that if the mass shooting of 5 year olds in Sandy Hook didn't move the hearts of Congress to stand up to their NRA masters, this ain't gonna do it either.
As others have pointed out, strengthening the gun laws isn't going to fix it. We need to concentrate on help for the mentally ill too.
Of course. And yes, I realize that even if we had changed all the rules last week and made sure that the shooter had lots of mental health help, it still might not have changed anything. But is that a reason to do nothing? There is another Cruz out there making his own plans. Maybe we can stop him.
(Oh, and BTW, the weirdos are all over Twitter claiming he's a DACA guy because his name is Cruz, the name his adoptive parents gave him when they adopted him)
Obama put regulations in place that made it more difficult to buy a gun if you were mentally ill, or a domestic abuser, or even on the TSA no-fly list. Trump lifted them all. You can be a crazed, wife-beating, terrorist suspect, and still buy a gun.
His budget also cuts funding for mental health care.
So yeah, Mr. President. You want to make me and 90% of all Americans, 70% of all NRA members feel better? Let's put those regulations back in place and throw in a couple of bucks to mental health too.
No, it won't stop all mass shootings, but it's a step. Something is better than nothing.
And while you're at it, let's ban assault rifles. Who needs an assault rifle? Do you have to blow up a deer? Or a duck? What does one use an assault rifle for, outside of shooting bad guys in war? or kids at their school desks?
Three of the worst shootings in the history of this country (let me
repeat that: in the history of this country) have occurred in since
Trump was elected -- the Las Vegas massacre, First Baptist Church in Texas,
and now this school shooting. The timing could be coincidence, but all
of these shootings were done with assault rifles yet nobody will even
officially consider banning the guns. It would offend our NRA
overlords.
I don't want to wish ill to anybody, but my black
little heart wishes that SOMEONE in congress had to suffer the painful loss
of a loved one by either gun violence or due to mental illness. Maybe
they they could then make a more convincing argument in favor of gun control
and/or mental health support.
"We are not powerless," the
president says in his "sound and fury signifying nothing" comments today.
OK. Prove it. Sponsor the Very. Best. Gun. Control. Regulation
the country has ever seen. Be the best. Everyone will sing your
praises. You want to out-shine Obama--that's how you do it. Do
what he tried to do and Congress would not let him do. Be a hero.
