It happened again in Colorado, a parent’s worse nightmare. News filled the airwaves of another school shooting. I watched, the now familiar scenes of, frantic parents racing in fear to find their children. Kids who may have made it out alive in body, but will forever be impacted by the senseless event. The arguments about gun control and gun rights will rear its head for a moment, but in the end it will all be reduced to talking points, and parents will be left with the task of somehow easing the fears of their children.
My daughter-in-law shared a conversation she had with my granddaughter. It was heartbreaking to me. “Fiona couldn’t fall asleep tonight because she was scared someone was going to shoot her. I told her, “No one is going to shoot you! I am right here!” Only to have her reply, “that makes it worse. Then you would just die protecting me.” So this is parenting in the 21st century.
I can still remember the moment when I heard about the children at Sandy Hook, and the people at the concert in Las Vegas. I view going to the movie theater differently since the theater shooting in our state. I’ve had to ask myself what does this say about us as a society that we can see these horrific events, shake it off, and go about life as though we haven’t been diminished by it in some way; safe in our thinking and not challenged beyond our own belief. Not realizing that every time we allow the horror of it to be reduced to political spin, and more polarization we lose a little more of what it means to be human. We call the shooter, crazy or evil and wipe our hands, pushing the memory far into the recesses of our mind until the next time.
I’ve always thought we were better than this. I have friends, good people on both sides of the aisle. Being a Democrat doesn’t make someone evil, or being a Republican doesn’t make someone good or vice a versa. Love doesn’t belong to a political party. To me that’s where it starts.
I’m not advocating anything, only venting maybe, as I’ve had to take a hard look at myself. If I say I believe in life, it should be all life from the birth to the grave. The idea of treating others the way I want to be treated might help too. In the end I believe I must love the next generation, more than I love my own rights. I can’t say I’m for life and separate children from the parents at the border. Or consider another person as less than who I am. I can’t speak about life if I watch children die in their school where they are going to learn and say nothing. I can’t say I’m for life if I turn my back on those who are hungry, cold or sick. Our children are watching us and learn hate by the example we give them.
I remember the words from the Bible “a little child shall lead them.” I feel I’ve seen what that means and the price is way too high. Eighteen year old Kendrick Castillo, ready to graduate from high school tomorrow, died Tuesday when he rushed the gunman. He was shot saving others in his class. I’ll let that sink in for a minute.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, my heart screams. Hate has had its way for too long. Maybe to honor the memories of all the kids who have died in their schools we should remember we are humankind and be both human and kind.