In Guernica the dead children were laid out in order on the sidewalk
In their white starched dresses
In their pitiful white dresses
On their foreheads and breasts the little round holes
Where death came in as thunder
While they were playing their important summer games
Do not weep for them, Madre
They are gone forever, the little ones
Straight to heaven to the saints
And God will fill the bullet holes with candy.
These lines (from a song by Joan Baez, based on a 1943 poem by Norman Rosten) came to mind as the news of yet another horrific school shooting was met with declarations of thoughts and prayers by the same people who cling to their assault rifles (and their campaign donations from the gun lobby.)
No matter that statistics show a leap in mass shootings since the GOP ended the ban on assault rifles. The "pro-life" party has nothing to offer but thoughts and prayers and a call for more guns.
If ever there were an argument for the non-existence of a good god . . .
7 comments:
It is so pathetic. They are so pathetic. The whole situation is pathetic. I beggars the imagination.
As you know, the site of the latest shooting is in the Congressional district represented by a man who sent out Christmas cards picturing himself, his wife, and his children proudly displaying their assault rifle. That Congressman offered his thoughts and prayers and declared "there's nothing Congress can do about this." I'm betting the dimwits who elected him will do it again, and again and again, because he represents their so-called values. I give up. All I have is my vote, and it already goes to the finest, most dedicated and intelligent people in the Senate and House -- Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Don Beyer. I can't influence people who would rather protect assault rifles than the lives of children.
I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I had to say something.
The carnage in 1937 Guernica is being repeated every day in Ukraine, and many US politicians don't give a damn about the loss of innocent life there either.
Our very own children. Grandchildren. No excuse. Simply legalized by a bunch of smug privileged idots, those who have the powers to legislate against assault weapons...at least that would be an easy first step, though not the end of this strange fiasco we are living in. Thoughts and prayers! Bah Humbug!
I try to stay away from news of such shootings, especially school shootings -- there is only so much the heart can bear. But Rachel Maddow's latest podcast hit hard: she talked of people who had been involved in such shootings before, people for whom this was the second time. And of reporters whose own children were in the schools on which they were reporting live, of one on-air reporter whose source of information was her own child, texting from within the building even as the shooter was still active.
If that doesn't bring it home to you, the fact that it is increasingly likely that you will be personally affected by a mass shooting, the fact that it is increasingly likely you will experience a mass shooting and experience it more than once, then nothing will.
A blogger shared the Christmas card of the Congressman whose district the Nashville shooting was in. Guess what his whole family was holding? Yep, guns. They worship guns!
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