Another Mass Shooting

Again another mass shooting. We barely get over the previous shooting and the headlines once again speak of lives lost. Over this past year— so many names, snippets of their lives, friends and relatives statements, make shift commemorations of lives lost. A gathering of flowers, stuffed animals, prayers, mementoes— survivors retelling stories, tears, and moments of silence.

In a few days we will vicariously stand outside with the mourners and watch long black limos. Each newscast will show the same clips until we are numb.

There will be stories about the shooter or shooters. We won’t understand what motivated them, but there will be one common denominator— they all used guns, often assault weapons.

The same groups will demand action and the same groups will offer prayers and a moment of silence for the victims.

Human interest stories will proliferate and reporters will converge on the area.

Within days another story will push its way into the headlines. And nothing will happen with sensible gun control. And nothing will happen.

Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.

This is not a conundrum that has no solution. Start with universal background checks and the banning of assault weapons. Start anywhere and move forward. I am tired of reading the bios of those who died or were seriously maimed. I am tired of excuses and of politicians who rely on the blood money from the NRA.