LAS VEGAS, NV – OCTOBER 02: A cowboy hat lays in the street (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) image used with permission pending
How can I write about divorce when there’s so much crap going on? This week was a doozy, yes? If you are offended by swear words, then click away and come back next week.
Las Vegas, AK rifles, massacres, terrorist attacks, hurricane destruction—-yuck. Violent words. Violent worlds.
Nothing I can say will make it better, I know that. Watching the news has become a hazard to my health.
Could we stop? Just for a moment…stop the screaming, the fighting, the shooting, the denial…
Why must America sell AK weapons that spray fire? What are they defending themselves against? Nothing. Right. Exactly. Yet these are legal weapons. Lawful. They pass the sniff test. You can move along…with your AK rifles. We won’t detain you. We won’t even ask what you plan to use them for. Just go ahead.
Please stop the insanity. De-legalize and de-license automatic rifles.
Make the crazies reload. Make the crazies go get more bullets. Make the crazies pause. One, solitary pause will save dozens of lives. If you must bear arms, bear ones that take a little time to operate. Bear arms that allow for victims to find shelter. Moments, seconds could save innocent lives.
But they don’t learn, do they? They keep on with their second amendment. They keep on with the “It’s the man with the gun, not the gun” mantra.
Nonsense.
Stop.
No? Okay, well I have to turn off the news then. I can’t stand to watch one more mass shooting happening without effect. It will happen again and again until you guys get your shit together…so eternal carnage.
Fuck.
Gayle King—fuck you. You sit on your news pedestal on CBS, wondering uselessly, why the maids of the room didn’t notice the guns? So, now it’s the maid’s fault. Not the gun seller, not the NRA, not the politicians, not the Constitution, not the lack of gun control—no, the maids should have seen these guns in the room and alerted who? The security at the hotel? They would have said, “He owns these guns legally. He has a right to bear arms.” blah, blah, blah.
Gayle, you’re missing the whole point, but then so is America, it seems.
Not one ‘expert’ on the news mentioned the absurd kind of weapons that were used.
Finally, who really cares about the man who did this? He’s dead. ‘Why’ doesn’t matter. What matters is the HOW. That’s where the U.S. law can make a difference. Please change the how and make it a NO-how, NO-way.
Yes, readability needs improvement. Thanks, for that tip, google. I think other things need improving more urgently than my writing.
I remember the horror, watching the events of the Columbine massacre. My children were babies. I was making them mac & cheese when the news came on. I was riveted, horrified, crying. How could this happen to innocent kids?
When my kids go to school will it happen to them?
That was twenty years ago! And it’s still happening.
Ya know, we’re 3 for 3 with our kids. Three of them have been in the midst of terrorist attacks, gun massacres and three of them have been unharmed. Thank God. Paris last year and just now, Edmonton and Vegas. Yup, all three. To be clear, they were not “at the scene or event” but within walking distance.
It’s too early to discuss, Mr. President? No. It’s too late! It’s too late for the hundreds of thousands of victims of all the gun massacres. The survivors and loved ones of those victims, have been waiting to discuss this very issue. It’s never too early.
And Mr. President? You may have been given your right to bear arms from your forefathers but it’s upheld on the backs of murdered children. Yet, you still want it.
To help victims of Vegas at go fund me
To help Peurto Rico at Red Cross
This has been a 1000 Voices Speak for Compassion post.
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D. Wallace Peach
October 25, 2017 at 10:05 amI love your rant. I rant every day, over and over again. My brother was murdered with a gun. Kindergartens were blown to pieces in Sandy Hook. Hundreds of dead and wounded in Las Vegas, all by lone gunmen. It’s insane that Americans won’t do something to stop it. What are we waiting for? A thousand deaths. Oh, I forgot, we already have that. We have about 33,000 gun deaths a year. That’s a 9/11 every month. Our law-makers are the terrorists.
Phew! Thanks for letting me rant. I feel better. I’m with you on this. <3
lisa
October 25, 2017 at 7:34 pmOh my gosh! I’m so sorry to hear about your loss of your brother in such a violent way. Every time this must open wounds for you. This: “We have about 33,000 gun deaths a year. That’s a 9/11 every month. Our law-makers are the terrorists.” WELL SAID! Thank you for your passionate response, D.
D. Wallace Peach
October 26, 2017 at 2:44 pmYou are welcome. 🙂 Thanks for letting me rant too!
lisa
October 27, 2017 at 6:42 amYes, I love a good rant especially when I’m angry. Loved yours.
Tamara
October 9, 2017 at 8:08 pm20 years ago. WOW. I can’t even fathom that. I didn’t have kids then so I probably wasn’t thinking about it the way I do now. I felt invincible. These days I only feel completely petrified.
lisa
October 11, 2017 at 9:22 amYes, that was probably more than 20 years ago now and yet the mass shooting continue on a regular basis. The arguments for not changing the gun control laws were the same then. The only difference now is, hundreds more people have been murdered, including children. Yet, second amendment reigns supreme. I don’t blame you for feeling petrified. I think everyone does and that equates to feeling frozen. Unable to move or change anything. Let’s hope action is taken. I’m feeling less hopeful though.
Jane Thrive
October 9, 2017 at 4:44 pmThank you for this post, Lisa. It’s truly crazy and too much. As far as I can see it, the NRA sponsors domestic terrorism–yet the media does not call these mass shootings acts of terror. They are. It’s insane. The arguments fall short and it’s disgusting. As Trevor Noah said it, I’m sorry that Americans think owning a gun is more important than your lives.
lisa
October 11, 2017 at 9:19 amYou’re right, Jane. This massacre is an act of terrorism. No question. Trevor Noah is correct. It’s very disturbing. What’s worse, no one is talking about it. It’s being swept under the carpet—like it never happened. How quickly we forget.
kimbacaffeinate
October 9, 2017 at 3:58 pmI don’t think delegalizing is the answer, but we as a nation need to come together and find peaceable solutions.
lisa
October 11, 2017 at 9:17 amYes, SOMETHING needs to be done. A change must be made.
Vishnu
October 7, 2017 at 10:49 pmThis is the influence of money in politics in the US, Lisa. The more the NRA contributes to our legislators, the more beholden these elected officials are to them. Linking smoking to lung cancer took decades!! because legislators refused to go against the industry.
lisa
October 8, 2017 at 11:04 amYou’re right, Vishnu. It’s the industry power behind the lack of change. But I still believe as humans, we have greater power over industries. Maybe I’m wishful thinking and naive. NRA needs to be taken down. Politicians need to clean up their messes. Is that so much to expect? Come on people…!!
Charlotte
October 6, 2017 at 7:22 pmThank you for this, Lisa. I have so many words and seem to be unable to express them lately.
I’m so unbelievably sad about the state of our world and the fact that someone can do something so horrific and we are still scratching our heads and trying to understand WHY nearly a week later. Does it matter? You’re right. We need to figure out the HOW the eff this is possible. That seems to be most important right now, so we can make sure this sh*t doesn’t happen ever again.
It just hurts my heart so much. I get so angry that people are legally allowed to own these kinds of killing machines 🙁
Anyway, thank you for sharing this. I’ve had to turn off the news; it triggers my anxiety something fierce, but how do you avoid this?
lisa
October 8, 2017 at 11:00 amHOW is the piece of this puzzle that needs to be addressed. I don’t want to hear one damn thing about this murderer. I don’t care one shit about him. Ya, know it’s been one week and already we’re onto our life and forgotten the victims…why isn’t this being addressed in Washington? I’m still angry. I feel the same way as far as being futile. Words don’t seem adequate to express our sadness and outrage.
I’m glad you’ve turned off the news, because it really doesn’t help us deal or make changes. All it does is work up our anxieties as you said. Thanks for chiming in here, Charlotte. I know it’s a sensitive subject.
Jeri
October 6, 2017 at 12:47 pmIt’s been a rough few weeks to say the least, and there are no easy answers. I read a long article at some point this week on how it’s hard to spot those who may potentially be planning a mass shooting because they seem so normal. The USA should follow the lead of other countries and ban automatic guns. It always floors me how we have to jump through so many hoops for so much in life, but it’s still relatively easy to amass a stockpile of guns.
lisa
October 8, 2017 at 10:56 amSo true, Jeri! It’s time for the US to follow others’ lead on gun control. Instead of their arrogance and over concern for rights under second amendment. They need to start putting the human count before dollars.
Marie Kléber
October 6, 2017 at 7:54 amI wonder how this tragedies can still happen Lisa. Why people do nothing? Why?
These guns are killing people. Humans. It sometimes looks like humans don’t count that much. It makes me sick.
Love to you and all Americans touched by these attacks.
lisa
October 8, 2017 at 10:55 amI wonder the exact same thing, Marie. I come up empty for answers. You’re right: “It sometimes looks like humans don’t count that much.” It’s a sickening reality. Thanks for sending your love. Much of it is needed these days!
Christine Carter
October 5, 2017 at 7:22 amLisa, thank you. Thank you for using words to express how I am feeling. I’m so furious. Outraged. I truly don’t get it- our country is unraveling and it’s heartbreaking and agonizing to be in it all.
*Thank GOD YOUR KIDS WERE OKAY.
lisa
October 5, 2017 at 2:06 pmHey Chris, It really is. It truly is unraveling and so long as those politicians continue pandering to the NRA and gun rights activists, it will continue. I don’t know what to say in so far as comfort. There are no words after this that could possibly comfort anyone. I think we need to really believe we can make a change and then start making it. Change does begin with ourselves. There’s too much of a defeatist attitude when it come to gun laws. That needs to change and with it the U.S. will rise up out of this darkness.
Thank you, Chris and I feel very FORTUNATE that my kids have all been safe and out of harm’s way. It is a damn miracle. So many aren’t so fortunate.
My Inner Chick
October 5, 2017 at 4:19 am***, who really cares about the man who did this? He’s dead. ‘Why’ doesn’t matter. What matters is the HOW.****
AGREEEEEE.
Who cares.
Get the F*cking guns.
So damn sick of excuses, justifications, and people blaming.
I will not put up w/ it anymore.
GREAT Post, Lisa. XX WOW.
lisa
October 5, 2017 at 2:02 pmThank you, Kim for your words and expressing your outrage. If we believe we can make a change—it will happen. Too many just sit there with their thumbs up their arses, repeating the same shit, “Well, they’ll get the guns anyway…” NO. They won’t if you stop them. Let’s stop them.
dgkaye
October 4, 2017 at 6:45 pmA sad truth Lis. Sadly, your words will once again fall on deaf ears, especially with the orange one. He won’t dare change the gun laws because those cronies are mostly his base. The republicans have showed their true colors and the uneducated keep shouting it’s in the constitution to bear arms. The problem is those laws were written in the 18th century before rifles could load hundreds of rounds within a minute, and incidentally they were written as militia laws. Some dickwad twisted the laws to suit themselves eons ago and so the saga continues. At the very least one would think to have a federal record of all guns bought throughout the country, not at just one store. That killer accumulated 49 shotguns from various states and thousand of rounds of artillery. Who the f#@k needs that much ammo? No flags raised. Maybe when nobody wants to visit the US anymore eyes will open. I for one gave up my winter rental in beautiful Arizona and switched to Mexico where I’ll be wintering as long as ‘it’ remains fake president.
lisa
October 5, 2017 at 1:59 pmDebby, you are so right. Deaf ears. I can’t understand this American obsession with the second amendment, while children are being murdered! They uphold their rights on the backs of their own dead children. Go f***in’ figure! Mexico sounds relaxing, Deb and nice winter retreat.
dgkaye
October 5, 2017 at 5:59 pmCan’t come soon enough. 🙂 <3
Balroop Singh
October 4, 2017 at 6:19 pmDear Lisa, thanks for espousing my sentiments…it is absurd that a person can possess so many guns and carry them anywhere legally!! That definitely calls for answers but each time gun lobby gets away, the killer gets killed before interrogation and all the blame is passed on to possible mental illness! Why can’t they stop selling the weapons to such people who are later on declared mentally ill? Why can’t they verify before selling?
Is anybody bothered about innocent people? I have my doubts. Besides praying for those who lost their lives and those who are in hospital, let’s hope a day will dawn when profit would cease to be the sole aim of people.
lisa
October 5, 2017 at 1:54 pmYES, thank you, Balroop. You are soooo right on all points! These gun rights activists are NOT bothered in the least by murdered innocents. I can’t fathom it. There is no need for these guns to be sold to civilians. Let’s change it. I don’t know how but if I say it enough, maybe an idea will strike. Thanks for sharing your POV.
shali
October 4, 2017 at 1:15 pmWell said Lisa. What we can do now is show love and compassion in any way we can, anywhere we can, to anyone we can.
Thank you so much for posting.
lisa
October 4, 2017 at 1:32 pmYES. Great reminder, Shali. Thanks 🙂
Chrys Fey
October 4, 2017 at 11:54 amNot all of America agrees with those laws or wants AK weapons available. I would love automatic weapons to be illegal. What sucks is that no matter how many people want this and no matter how many times things like this happen, the laws don’t get passed. Its frustrating for many Americans.
lisa
October 4, 2017 at 12:10 pmI know, Chrys and it must even more frustrating and scary for you as an American citizen, seeing these events unfold. When nothing changes, it appears that America doesn’t get it. But of course, there are so many like you, who disagree with the current laws. We have no answers. 🙁
Bren Lee | Designs by Virtual Bren
October 4, 2017 at 11:48 amHey Lisa,
Unfortunately, delegalizing automatic weapons or handguns isn’t the solution to the massive numbers of mentally unhealthy people in and outside of the U.S. These people will somehow find a way to obtain weapons and modify (like Paddock did) to achieve the results they are seeking. Sadly enough, we’ll probably never find out the Why of Paddock’s actions in Vegas which means, many families of the victims will never be able to find closure. To add to this, as a firm believer in the right to bear arms of which I do and am legally allowed to carry if it’s not guns, it will be knives and/or explosives.
Sadly, it’s everywhere.
lisa
October 4, 2017 at 12:06 pmThat is true, Bren. Note I’m not suggesting delegalizing handguns, only automatic weapons that spray bullets faster than we can blink. No need for those. These people do find ways to obtain illegal weapons, I’m sure but let’s make it harder for them. Thanks for sharing here, Bren. Appreciate your perspective.
lisa
October 5, 2017 at 2:10 pmI’d like to add here that the victim’s families and loved ones would NOT EVER get closure, even if the gunman was alive because it is senseless violence without reason.
Beth
October 4, 2017 at 10:44 amI’m with you. I’m so pissed off and I just want things to change. I fear it’s never going to change though. I am fighting for a better tomorrow no matter what though.
lisa
October 4, 2017 at 11:41 amThanks, Beth. Exactly. And hopefully they will this time. I think after Sandyhook where so many innocents were murdered (with the same weapon) and nothing was done–it’s not likely things will change. That’s why I’m angry, too. Good for you! Thanks for sharing your views here.