I’ve examined my own feelings since Friday asking myself the
question: WHAT DO I really feel about the horrible events of the last week? My wife and I have discussed how this has affected each of us in great detail and she actually is finding herself called to action of some sort in order to join others opposed to the growing by the speed of light gun culture (as Bob Costas discussed a few days back) rising up in this country. But in thinking about my own struggle, it is so unimportant compared to 20 parents, grandparents and many friends of the 26 people gunned down Friday by so much ammunition that the innocent victims were hard to identify. The entire mess is insane and I’m whirling over the sadness of it all.
I have done what all of you have done – immediately imagined my own children and most of all, one of my grandchildren in that school. I quickly focused on our 7 year old red-head who attends one of the local elementary schools here in Nashville. Her great school has locked and very controlled secure entrances to their facility. But I can’t help but imagine what her parents would do, what we would do – how would we all cope if this was here! I can’t even go there – sorry!
In reading loads of material that we shouldn’t have to read anyway, I have come upon 2 different pieces that have moved me, made me think and created a “working place” for where I am most in all of this. I know the subjects of guns and freedom are all privileges this country is serious about because we have been raised to believe they are rights we fight for. But now we’re seeing trends in this mess of mental illness which is a serious problem in this country now relating to violence. I so agreed with the President when he said last evening … “We can’t tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change.” I’m certainly on board with that and I’m also realistic that change will be hard to accomplish with many!
Joe Scarborough from MSNBC is a former Congressman, has children the ages of those slaughtered Friday and he has a son who has Asperger’s syndrome. He eloquently gave a commentary this morning that was worth my time to view. I align myself with what I heard.
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If you have ever watched Parenthood, a program we really enjoy, you get a good taste of the life of a child and family who live with Asperger’s. Lisa Long isn’t in Hollywood, she’s a real-life freelance writer from Boise, a single mother of four bright, loved children one of whom is her 13 year old son who has Asperger’s. She shares some of her on the scene pain of trying to manage a child in her home that could be similar – based on current reports – like Nancy Lanza was dealing with in her own home with a son named Adam. Lisa calls her blog post: “Thinking the Unthinkable!” It’s an eye opener for sure!
We have a history in this country of forgetting the devastation and carnage of these events as we get back into our own lives. And if that is what this country and its leaders decide to do, we’ll be right back here very soon dealing with the same issues again. My hope and prayer is that all of this will motivate us in a new, wiser and safer direction and that the constitution can still be honored but at the same time, find some way to bring this country back to “the home of the free and the brave!” That all seems like a distant memory to me today!!
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