Difficult Times

Help Fight Gun Violence

After yesterday’s school shooting in Minneapolis, I find it difficult to write anything.

Experiencing Trump’s deeper and deeper dive into authoritarianism, I find it difficult to write anything.

So I took a hike with my dog this morning to one of my favorite nature preserves. The clouds are big and puffy today. The air is fresh and cool. The sixty-degree weather and sunshine gave me a respite from the news. I picked a yellow apple from the old orchard and ate it on the rest of the walk. I took photos of the wildflowers: asters, roses, goldenrod, yellow tansy, and wild pea. I breathed deep, calming breaths. Then I came back home to the news and my computer.

So what is next? How do we move forward? Right now, I am just pissed that for seven months, we have had to deal with all of this BS. How did people vote for a madman on the authoritarian spectrum who gets his kicks out of making people suffer? We have a list of grievances against the mad leader, just like the patriots in 1776. Read Judge J. Michael Luttig’s Independence Day essay.

And how do the Republicans keep voting against protecting people against gun violence? Please read

JoJoFromJerz

recent Substack article “Bulletproof Backpacks and Empty Pews.” I couldn’t write about school shootings and sending our kids off to school with the possible danger of gun violence any better than JoJo.

As a retired educator, this is the first year when I won’t have to prepare my students for active shooter drills. But my friends who are still teaching are heading back to school, once again, with the threat of gun violence forefront in their preparation for keeping our students safe. It is NOT RIGHT! We should care more about our kids than we do about assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-powered killing machines. It’s disgusting.

After posting this, I am going to go to Moms Demand Action and see what I can do to help. Each state has a chapter. I hope you check it out too.

Take care of yourselves. I hope you find some nature and some respite from the news this holiday weekend.

With love and peace to you and your families. And as Dr. Eddie Glaude says, “Hug and keep your loved ones close.”

Carol