When archeologists dig up ancient human remains, anthropologists speak of the vanished cultures as “primitive” if they appear to have practiced child sacrifice to appease their gods.
With this in mind, future archeologists and anthropologists should have a field day when they discover the graves of the 17 fourth-grade school children who are being buried in Uvalde this week.
As the richest and most powerful nation on earth, the U.S. naturally doesn’t wish to consider itself a primitive society. And I’m fairly sure that isn’t what Ted Cruz meant either when he stomped away from European reporters asking him about why this kind of mass shooting almost only happens in America muttering, “I’m sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful.”
Remind me again about that “American exceptionalism.” Perhaps some sort of primitive religion?
Of course, it’s conveniently simple to blame the weapons profiteers and their enablers in elected office for these gun massacres that occur. Certainly the likes of the NRA and acolytes Cruz, Abbott and practically the entire Republican Party shoulder a major share of the blame for these outrageous acts.
But where does that leave the rest of us?
Lowering a flag to half-mast for a few days, observing a moment of silence before going back to our daily routines, holding onto some thoughts about the grief of others — all of that is respectful but does little to prevent the future slaughter of more innocents that is now certain to come.
In fact, much could be done. As long as guns remain so easily available, aggressively preventative measures need to be taken in our schools.
Meanwhile, organizing to pass much stricter strict gun laws and throwing the gutless culprits out of office who oppose them, will be the slow, frustrating, unsexy work. That is almost always led by the parents of previous massacre victims. Inevitably, an ineffable sense of grief steels their resolve.
Which raises the question of what the rest of us are to do with our ineffable grief.
Will we bury it for the ages? Along with the children?
Or will we act?
Protecting Children From Gun Violence (Sandy Hook Promise)
Today’s News (50 stories from 25 sources):
A Culture That Kills Its Children Has No Future — An America vacillating between violent struggle and idle nihilism is shuddering toward its end. (Atlantic)
What the Rest of the World Can Tell Us About Guns (New Yorker)
Parents Face a Haunting Question: Is Any Schoolchild Safe? (NYT)
Ted Cruz angrily quits interview after being confronted about gun control (Guardian)
Cruz storms off after being asked why mass shootings happen ‘only in America’ (WP)
Beto O'Rourke interrupts Greg Abbott's Uvalde press conference: "You are doing nothing" (CBS)
Gov. Abbott facing mounting criticism for weakened gun laws (WP)
Justices to rule in gun case with US raw from mass shootings (AP)
NRA to host Texas convention days after Uvalde school shooting (Yahoo)
Texas shooting: Where does US gun control go from here? (BBC)
After Mass Gun Killings, Other Nations Changed Course — to Notable Effect (NYT)
Robb Elementary had security. It didn’t stop a massacre. (Politico)
The second-deadliest mass shooting at an elementary school wasn’t enough to shock GOP lawmakers into dropping their objections to gun control. “We’ve had guns forever and we’re gonna continue to have guns,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) told reporters. Meanwhile, gun-friendly Republicans, including Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott and Sen. Ted Cruz, are sticking with plans to speak at an NRA convention in Houston Friday. [HuffPost]
‘Horrifying’ conspiracy theories swirl around Texas shooting (AP)
California has more gun laws and tougher restrictions than almost any other state, but Democratic leaders are looking to clamp down further on access to firearms following the horrific massacre at a Texas elementary school this week. (Cal Today)
The Miami Heat urges fans to call their senators about gun law reform (NPR)
Blinken says US is ready to strengthen diplomacy with China in 'charged moment for the world' (CNN)
Blinken calls China ‘most serious long-term’ threat to world order (Politico)
Advancing Russian forces came closer to surrounding Ukrainian troops in the east, briefly seizing positions on the last highway out of a crucial pair of Ukrainian-held cities before being beaten back, a Ukrainian official said. (Reuters)
Ukraine video shows massive Russian explosions: 'What the most horrific war of the 21st century looks like' (Fox)
Military briefing: Ukraine’s battlefield agility pays off (Financial Times)
Russia claims to control 95% of Luhansk (NHK)
Russia slams sanctions, seeks to blame West for food crisis (AP)
Trump must answer questions under oath in New York AG probe into business practices, appeals court says (CNBC)
‘Trump is in the past’: Mounting losses show limits of power (AP)
Trump indicated support for hanging Pence during Jan. 6 insurrection, panel was told (WP)
The next U.S. abortion battle is over pills, and it's already begun (Reuters)
Oklahoma is now the state with the most restrictive abortion legislation in the country, after Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed a total abortion ban, effectively outlawing the procedure at fertilization. [HuffPost]
PayPal lays off 83 San Francisco Bay Area employees (SFGate)
Inflation could remain uncomfortably high until 2024, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said. (WP)
Elon Musk pledged an additional $6.25 billion in equity financing to fund the $44-billion offer for Twitter, reducing the billionaire's margin loan against his Tesla shares to zero. (Reuters)
How to Fix Twitter—And All of Social Media (Atlantic)
The U.S. budget deficit is projected to fall to $1 trillion in 2022. (NYT)
Giant Magnetic Waves Have Been Discovered Oscillating Around Earth's Core (Science Alert)
Northwestern engineers invent the world's smallest remote-controlled walking robots (CNN)
Rats Learned to Hide and Seek. Scientists Learned Way More. (Atlantic)
College Enrollment Drops, Even as the Pandemic’s Effects Ebb (NYT)
BTS To Appear With Joe Biden At White House To Discuss Anti-Asian Hate Crimes (Deadline)
On 2nd anniversary of George Floyd’s death, fading momentum for police reform (WP)
Tennessee is about to become the 1st state to make camping on public land a felony (NPR)
Blaming Chesa Boudin for Crime Is Empirically Wrong (Mother Jones)
D.A. Chesa Boudin launches new Asian American Pacific Islander victims services unit (SFC)
Palestinians: Israel deliberately killed Al Jazeera reporter (AP)
The U.S. plans to protect one of the world’s biggest salmon spawning grounds. (WP)
An ocean first: Underwater drone tracks CO2 in Alaska gulf (AP)
'How to Murder Your Husband' writer found guilty of murdering her husband (NPR)
Scientists Discover 90% Of Earth’s Atmosphere Made From Thoughts, Prayers (The Onion)
Today’s Lyrics:
“Teach Your Children”
Written by Graham Nash
… You, who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so, become yourself
Because the past is just a goodbye
… Teach your children well
Their father's hell did slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's the one you'll know by
… Don't you ever ask them, "Why?"
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you
… And you (Can you hear?) of tender years (And do you care?)
Can't know the fears (And can you see?)
That your elders grew by (We must be free)
And so, please help (To teach your children)
Them with your youth (What you believe in)
They seek the truth (Make a world)
Before they can die (That we can live in)
… And teach your parents well
Their children's hell will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's the one you'll know by
… Don't you ever ask them, "Why?
If they told you, you will cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you
No comments:
Post a Comment