A peaceful, beautiful fall day can quickly become filled with sadness and dread.
I'm sitting at the car dealership. Hubs thought he had them detailing the interior, they are really detailing the exterior. I'm okay with it either way.
Brought my chrome book, and several portable projects to work on. Was chatting with Hubs, planning holiday gifts and meals, when I got the call.
It was my boss, so I wanted to be sure to take it. As he wouldn't call me on vacation unless it was important.
It was.
I don't have details. I don't know the circumstances. I am scared, worried and angry.
One of the sweetest women I know was somehow shot in the face last night. She's the most dedicated, loving, tough woman I know. She's in her 8th decade and still takes buses and walks to work, never missing a day in years, unless she was in the hospital.
Somehow, she was shot in the face last night. From what I've learned she is okay, I guess as okay as you can be with a bullet still in your face. They are waiting for the plastic surgeon to remove it.
I have more questions, fears and frustrations that I can even think through today. Who in their right minds shoots a tiny little lady? Who raised that heathen?
I just finished talking to one of my B's. She spoke to our dear sweet Ms. Norma.
I am even angrier now.
I intended to write about the projects I'd worked on, the beautiful fall day, teasing the guys at the dealership. But I can't. Having the details makes me livid!
She was shopping. That was all, at the Family Dollar. As she walked to her car, some jerk almost hit her. She made an innocent comment, guess he plans on hitting me - or something like that, and some jerk in the back seat rolls down the window and shoots her.
WTF?????
Who does that?
WHY?
She's over 80, she's barely 4 feet tall and probably weighs 90 pounds sopping wet with rocks in her pockets. She's a pistol. Her personality is probably 6 foot tall, but she is definitely not bullet proof.
Now she's sitting at home, waiting to go see the plastic surgeon to try and remove the bullet lodged just above her lip.
I've been told twice how worn out she sounds. Ya think?
Incredulous does not being to describe my feelings.
I'm tired of it, I'm tired of hearing of all the shootings and gun crimes. I'm sick and tired of hearing ban guns. Excuse me? Anyone that needs a prime example of how fantastic that works needs to check out Chicago's stats. We all know they are a "gun free zone"... I'm guessing all their homicides are happening via squirt guns?
It's not a gun problem. That damn bullet did not hit that precious woman because a gun decided to go off on it's own.
We have a serious humanity problem! And people need to quit with the "gun problem" mentality. That little punk has a morality issue, no doubt a mental issue (sane people do NOT shoot other people for the fun of it), and I'm doubtful he has a conscience.
There are far too many people deflecting from the real problems that we have in our society. Trying to blame inanimate objects for the failures of society. And frankly, I am really pissed off right now.
Is anyone at all paying attention to what is going on? It isn't about democrats and republicans, conservatives or liberals, black, white, brown, yellow... heck polka dots. It's about human beings being well human.
At what point are we going to stop being blind? We can blame it on a lot of things. But until we start each owning our own failures in life, until we hold people accountable, until we all say enough is enough. It isn't going to stop.
I heard the words... that is how things are now around here.
I felt crushed. I felt the air rush out of my lungs.
I feel for the man that was shot by the police officer. No one needs to lose their lives. Was it worth the protests? I don't know. I wonder when all the protests are going to be for other victims? Is anyone going to protest that a sweet little old lady is not able to go to the store without being shot? Is it even going to make the news? Is it changing anything?
They keep talking about how arrests are down since they've been protesting. Fantastic. Unfortunately, the murders and shootings are higher than ever. Are they down because crime is down? Or is it giving carte blanche to the gangs, thugs and jerks?
Where I am sitting right now, it looks like the officers have no desire to engage the criminals. So the ones suffering are the innocent victims that are trying to go about their daily lives.
I firmly believe we have systemic problems in society today. And even more firmly believe the system is exactly what has created them. The government has created the problems that every day people are stuck dealing with. They control without caring. They create wastelands and wastrels. Idle hands have always been the devil's playground.
I'm going to apologize now, I believe we are all entitled to our own opinions and I strive to keep some of my stronger ones to myself. I don't for a second think I am entirely right, nor do I think I am entirely wrong. I believe we are all just an open and honest conversation away from meeting in the middle. Each of us comes to the conversation with our life lessons and different lenses.
But, today I am angry! Today I want to go wrap my arms around a woman very dear to my heart and hold her close. I want to protect her. I want to find the punk that shot her and harm him in ways unimaginable (but give me time... I'm pretty darn creative). I want to find his parents and friends and try to understand what creates that kind of a monster.
Mostly, I want to comfort that sweet woman. No one had the right to harm a hair on her precious head. She has earned love and respect.
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