Lis and I met in Monticello today and went to the antique store we like. I spied this little pre-Easy Bake oven and showed it to Lis.
"Take a picture of that," she said, "And put it on the blog."She is the boss of me. This is well-established and I agreed with her about this. The toys of yesteryear.
"You guess that thing got hot?" I asked her.
We laughed.
Oh, the things we used to let children play with! Ovens made of tin that plugged into an electric socket. BB Guns that could shoot an eye out. Lawn darts that could and did pierce skulls and kill children, chemistry sets that contained uranium- look it up! We gave children pocket knives and woodburning kits. I burned myself badly on one of those things.
All kinds of things that were considered fine for children to play with are now illegal and we shake our heads in wonder- what were people thinking?
And yet.
And yet. An eighteen year old high school drop out can legally purchase a rifle capable of killing at least twenty-one people in a very short amount of time in a school after he shot his grandmother in the face.
The state of Texas, like the state of Florida, can somehow manage to legislate against a woman's personal control of her body and make it practically illegal to be a gay kid but they sure as fuck can't do a thing about gun control because that's an American Freedom.
Unlike a woman's right to choose.
Unlike our right to speak out.
Unlike the right of children to learn the actual truth of our history as a nation, as a state.
It's not only our right to carry a weapon whose sole purpose is to kill other human beings but our sacred right, guaranteed by the Second Amendment, written when a gun was a musket that at best could probably kill one human every fifteen minutes.
Children. That guy killed nineteen children. In elementary school. Children like Maggie and August, and Gibson. I didn't mention Levon and Owen because Levon's in preschool and Owen's in middle school and these were elementary kids who were slaughtered. And more wounded. And all traumatized for life.
And two teachers.
You know. Of course you know. The whole world knows.
You know else what the whole world knows? That America has shit for brains and guns for dicks. That Americans are insane and governed not by men and women who care about the lives of their children, their fellow citizens, but about what the NRA can give them in the form of funding and political support.
And they are right.
I see that Beto O'Rourke interrupted a press conference in Uvalde, Texas today which, until yesterday's slaughter was best known as the hometown of Matthew McConaughey, where he confronted Governor Abbott saying, "This is all on you." And then, "You're doing nothing. You're all doing nothing."
He was escorted out of the building and Abbot said, "It's God that heals a community."
Among other bullshit.
The mayor of Uvalde, Don McLaughlin ordered O'Rourke out of the building and called him a "Sick son of a bitch who would come to a deal like this to make a political issue."
This is not a political issue. This is a public health and safety issue. This is a moral issue. This is an issue that the so-called religious right should be speaking up about with vehement fervor to protect the children but no, they're too fucking busy trying to defend the rights of an embryo to care about the children who are here and who suffer and bleed when they are shot by an AR-15 "type" of rifle. And leave behind families who will never, ever cease grieving.
That's really all I have to say tonight.
I'm done. I'm really, really done.
Couldn’t agree more. I am beyond done.
ReplyDeleteAren't we all?
DeleteThank you. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou know me- I feel free to use the words that others are probably thinking but are too polite to use.
Deleteyes, Amen, and I'm done too. So is everyone else I know.......we are *done*. My core hurts
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I absolutely understand.
DeleteRespect to you for your words of truth Mary. Love and sorrow fron the UK. The world is getting less than, in so many ways.Heartbreaking Maggi xxx
ReplyDeleteIt truly does seem like it, Maggi. We old broads have to hang in here to speak our truth.
DeleteYou are so right, Mary. I saw Beto face Abbott and all the other sons of bitches up on that stage ... Ted Cruz ... nodding their heads like ignorant bobbleheads! Beto is right, too ... It is on the shoulders and hands of Abbott, Dan Patrick and all of those little dick peons on that stage!
ReplyDeleteWe are all sick of this shit!!
What a wonderful turn of phrase - “ignorant bobbleheads” 😉
DeleteI’m not an anonymous - my name is Desirée (I hail from South Africa).
DeleteMarcia- I, too, like your description of the ignorant bobbleheads. As well as the "little dick peons." Do they have a ball amongst them?
DeleteAnd Desiree- thank you for coming all the way from South Africa. I am glad to see you here.
That was so well said. And absolutely right! Thank you for saying the things I think and can't find the words for.
ReplyDeleteYour words are probably well mannered whereas mine are not constrained by manners of any sort.
DeleteYes, the sick SOB's in that room had the stage and the mike as usual. It is hard not to be disgusted with this country.
ReplyDeleteI am not even trying not to be disgusted. Disgust is what is appropriate.
DeleteI wonder how we can ever go back.
ReplyDeleteI do not know if we can, Joanne. I thought our generation was going to change things. And it did-up to a point. I think that point was when DT got elected and then it was game over.
Deletethanks for writing this.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying that.
DeleteThat fucking despicable Abbott. It could have been worse he said. Worse than parents having to give a DNA sample so they could identify which of the mangled bodies was their kid? Abbott has it in his power to get rid of those weapons but no, they call Beto a sick SOB for calling out the truth.
ReplyDeleteI read your comment earlier, Ellen, and have thought of it all day. You are right. We know who the sick SOB was and it was not Beto O'Rourke.
DeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pixie.
DeleteThere is nothing more hypocritical than a bible thumping republican. I cannot abide a hypocrite and I am done, too.
ReplyDeleteBoy- you nailed it. They are unbelievable hypocrites. I don't even think they believe the shit that spews from their mouths.
DeleteSame here. Done.
ReplyDeleteAnd what do we do? I cannot figure that out.
DeleteThank you Mary for these words.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
You are welcome, Chris.
DeleteDitto...
ReplyDeleteWe all feel the same, don't we, e? I think many, many Americans do too.
DeleteSo many of us are done, but we are all still wondering when anything will be done to stop these massacres, these lunatics.
ReplyDeleteIt does not appear that anything will be done. Ever. And that is the basis for the anger and the sorrow that I feel.
DeleteYes, a very big yes.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bonnie.
DeleteI have been a daily reader of your blog for a decade, Mary - you are a gifted writer and I have shared this post with several friends and my family.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anonymous. For your words, and for being here so long.
DeleteOnce again, I’m not an anonymous. I’m Desirée from South Africa.
ReplyDeleteOh! Desiree!
DeleteFrom Scotland our hearts are broken for you . We know the feeling of disbelief and heartbreak you are going through it's twenty six years almost to the day since Dunblane and our children and teacher died. Our gun laws are now among the most restrictive in the world and I can only hope that the USA wakes up to what it is doing to its future.
ReplyDeleteJessica- I just don't think America will wake up. In fact, being called "woke" here is now a right-wing insult. I have no idea what has happened to our minds and hearts here but it is obvious that it is something tragic. If only we were as smart as Scotland.
DeleteI'm with you. Also done. It drives me crazy that when people like Beto O'Rourke (or you or me) speak up after events like this and we are accused of "politicizing a tragedy." Which is basically just a way for the right-wingers to deflect and derail any discussion of gun control.
ReplyDeleteI don't even think it's NRA money they're after. I think they're scared of their own voters, who have been so indoctrinated on this issue that they've lost all perspective. Common sense is in short supply.
Steve, I believe you are absolutely right about the indoctrination of people about gun control. It has become a symbol of freedom and glory to oppose even the most sensible of gun laws. It used to be a dog-whistle. Now it's a booming car stereo bass line.
Delete37P: thank you for speaking. I have been unable to find the words.
ReplyDeleteMine just sort of poured out of my gut. And that shows.
DeleteI keep thinking about your grandchildren, and my buddy Little P., and other kids that age that I know. There are no words for the horror of it. I despair for this country.
ReplyDeleteYes. Yes. Yes. I know. I keep thinking of those poor babies too. Real babies. Not theoretical babies. Babies who have hearts and minds and interests and talents and fears and also families. We are hurting them. We are killing them.
DeleteVote blue and kill the NRA.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, like Steve pointed out, it's gone way beyond the NRA. But yes, vote blue. It may be too late to save our souls but we have to try.
DeleteMs Moon. This was perfect. I am linking to your post from my blog, if you do not mind. I really think that your message is THAT important.
ReplyDeleteOh Debby. I am honored.
DeleteI am also done but appreciate that you could put into words what a lot of us feel.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I could do that. Thank you.
DeletePS, I posted your blog post to Blue Revolution and suggested that if people were having trouble coming up with words for their NRA owned politicians, they use yours. Sorry for not getting your permission first.
ReplyDeleteOh you know I do not mind.
DeleteExactly! Well said, Mary.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ellen.
DeleteWell said. The asshole who called out Beta should be taken to that classroom and forced to look at those dead children and teachers and then say ' Don't politicize this" Fuck that.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Absolutely.
DeleteSo tragic,so frustrating -I have no words
ReplyDeleteIt is beyond beyond.
DeleteWell said, Mary. It’s incomprehensible to most Canadians that an 18 yr. old can buy such weapons, and a large amount of ammunition, without any questions being asked. Why does ANYONE in the general public feel they need an assault rifle? My heart is sick & sore. My sympathy to you & to reasonable, caring Americans who keep fighting the gun lobby. And for the families…there simply aren’t the words that will help them in their pain.
ReplyDeleteIt's incomprehensible to many, many Americans that an 18 year old can buy a gun. Especially a gun like that. And all the ammo one could desire. We are not all insane but the ones who are have the loudest voices, the fat-cat-est lobbyists. And now they have convinced so many others they THEY need to fight for the right to own such insane weapons. For what? Protection against other insane people with them, I guess.
DeleteSo what it is a second amendment right. Another amendment is needed. There was some senator on the radio today saying mask wearing had played a part!
ReplyDeleteDid you see how one Texas senator or house member immediately claimed the shooter was a trans illegal immigrant?
DeleteMs Moon, long time reader first time commenter here. I too am sick and f**king tired of the Thoughts and Prayers Freedom crowd and their sick obsession with assault rifles that no one needs. How many more children are going to have to die before these damn spineless bastards wake up and do the right thing? They talk about "Freedom" and all the while pass legislation to control women under the guise of "protecting the babies." That's bulls**t. if they actually gave a damn about the babies they would do something about this plague of gun violence but they don't and they won't. I agree with Christina, that jackass that called Beto a son of a bitch and Abbott, Cruz, & Cornyn should be made to go in that classroom and look at the bodies of those children that their negligence murdered.
ReplyDeleteJim- I wish you would comment more often. We share spirits, obviously.
DeleteI'm struggling with being heartbroken and seething mad. I have to believe change is going to come. Love all around.
ReplyDeleteBonnie in Minneapolis
Oh, Bonnie! May you be right!
DeleteI am here via Debby's blog and my heart is so broken for you, America. This highlights so much broken. Don't get me wrong - a lot of the world is broken in various ways right now, but the US and guns and little children is so horrific for you to have to live through and contemplate.
ReplyDeleteYou know what some of the worst of it is? It's that although these shootings have not become "normalized" they have become events that we are not truly shocked at any more. My god, we are weary. Thank you for coming by.
DeleteYou summed it up perfectly, we're done with it all too, Abbott has passed lenient Gun Laws in his State, making it easier for atrocities like this to keep happening. Such a sham when the Right pretends to care about the Unborn and yet the slaughter of those already Born is met with no real Action, just hollow empty words of saying 'Thoughts and Prayers' are with the grieving Families and Friends of the slain. They don't need us to be Thinking about it all or offering up some short convenient Prayer instead of taking ACTION and quit pandering to the likes of the NRS and the Americans who prize Guns over Human Life. The Right always uses that Red Meat when they're Courting their Base of Voters, 'they' are coming for your Guns will get most of The Cult frothing at the Mouth... yet, they are curiously NOT outraged at the carnage their Guns cause... and who the Hell NEEDS a Military Grade Assault Weapon who is not at War and in the Military... NOBODY, that's who.
ReplyDeleteOoops, meant the NRA, I'm so passionate about this I was typing too fast!
DeleteAmen Mary amen. My office manager was obsessing today about the hour it took to go into the school and take the shooter out and the sheriff who is tripping over himself trying to 'splain' it. And then we will watch the current massacre move off the news cycle and on to the next thing. And so it goes. Yr right, Americans are insane. We're not Scotland, wish we were.
ReplyDeleteLittle sweet round faced children. Who never deserved this. Their devastated families. It's all too much to bear. It's all too much.
What more can be said -- there's no logic to the gun folks arguments.
ReplyDelete