Return to site

Part 146 - Why?

Why? Why? Why?

· frustration

I struggle to get my head around things sometimes. I'm struggling today. I work as a private investigator. I investigate murder cases - a lot. I can understand passion. I can understand anger. I can understand a lot of things. But I will never be able to understand why anyone would open fire in a school.

Something is wrong in our country. Something is truly fucked up. I have no idea how to solve it.

A good first step might be for people to stop attempting to foreclose reasoned discussion by saying, "Now's not the time. People are grieving."

Now is not the time?

Yesterday was the time. Nineteen years ago was the time. It is - without a doubt - time to have this conversation, now.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

- unattributed

Last year, a school in Mississippi yanked "To Kill a Mockingbird" off the reading list. We're willing to ban books, but we're not willing to discuss any form of gun control. Words scare people more than the very clear and present threat from guns. Words, people.

I do not know the answer. I work with professional investigators, many of whom carry weapons. I hear some reasoned arguments and I don't necessarily disagree with them. I also have many friends who are not in any way comfortable with weapons.

I'm a bit strange, I'll admit. I'm not personally uncomfortable with guns. I have been trained in their use. What I am uncomfortable with is other people with guns. What I am uncomfortable with is the notion of shooting someone. I'm not willing to do that. Therefore, I do not carry a weapon. I don't even own a handgun.

I am offended by the unmitigated, seemingly unending string of incidents of mass shootings - in our country.

I am not naive enough to say this doesn't happen in any other country. It does.

Canada

Australia

Germany

Brazil

Norway

All of these countries have experienced mass shootings. But we gotta admit, our country leads the pack in scale.

So what do we do? I don't know. But for the love of all that is good and beautiful, can we please admit that we have a problem and make some sort of an attempt to fix it? Please?