Tragedy

     Once again we as a nation are dealing with a senseless tragedy with some wacko taking the lives of multiple individuals for some twisted reason only they know.  What makes this one so heinous is that it is a crime against children.  I know that millions of people feel the same way about this awful event and I just wanted to join in the chorus echoing what we all feel.
     The worst thing a parent can go through is the loss of a child.  We as parents are not supposed to out live our children and when we lose a child it colors our very being for the rest of our lives.  No one who has not gone through such a tragedy can ever understand that sense of loss and heartache.  No words can console, no agency, organization can ever erase the pain a parent can experience in the course of this loss.  About the only thing those of us who have been lucky enough to never go through it can do is offer a shoulder, an empathy, a set of arms to support them, hold them, be there for them to vent throughout the grieving.
     Politicians will debate the merits and demerits of gun control, mental health care and the access to schools from the outside world.  But, in my opinion, even though all those subjects need attention, you will never be able to stop a crazy person from getting into a place and wreaking havoc.  Nor do we want to turn our schools into armed camps as some cities have already done.  We can discuss this tragedy over and over again and nothing we do will bring those children back.  What we can do is reflect how lucky we are that we have our children, grandchildren and those that are our future that live around us and thank who and whatever we believe in that it never happens to us.
    Like President Obama, my heart is broken and like those parents and the rest of the nation I will never be the same.  In my own small way I will carry the images of this tragedy in my heart forever.  How can you not.

What I've Been Thinking

     I know, I know, it's not Sunday, but I felt I needed to pontificate a bit at this moment.  The election is over and all the turkeys are back at work or have been already eaten.  But like in 2008, the crazies are still at it.  Who you may ask?  The secessionists.  We had a civil war about much of their views and I guess my Dad was right.  I should have saved my Confederate money as the South will rise again.  Curiously, most of the states petitioning to leave the United States of America get more federal money than the pay for in taxes.  Here is my take and it may be extreme;  I think Obama should allow their petition to be accepted.  Then, begin to pull all federal funding sent to those states.  All FEMA offices should be closed, US post offices removed, any federal government offices in fact need to shut down and all the accouterments and equipment shipped to the real US of A.  Lastly, having done that on a reasonable schedule similar to the removal of troops from the mid-east.  All Federal Army, Navy, Marines, Air force and Coast Guard members along with the equipment they use sent to the country that funds them.  Then, a fence needs to be built so those in those states do not corrupt the rest of us that have reasonable minds and become a distraction in our daily lives.  We don't want them taking jobs that we Americans now do.  Oh, and another thing we need to do is disallow any of the Constitutional rights as well as any addition to our Bill of Rights that Americans now enjoy and treat this new group as we do any potential belligerent country that may want to invade our borders.  I, like a number of political commentators, think we can find ways to trade with the remaining states by building good relations with Canada and Mexico for travel and economic purposes.
     Give the people in the leaving states what they want; to have nothing to do with the rest of us.  They don't get federal water and their farmers are now on their own.  The goods the errant states produce are now subject to tariffs just like Japan and England.  Any food produced by the rest of us they need to buy as China would and they need to negotiate passage through our country with visas and proper papers.
     I know I'm ranting.  But, I can't for the life of me see how any intelligent, thinking, grade school educated individual would think that secession is a good idea.  But, if they think it should happen, then go for it and when thy find out what it really means they need to apply for statehood all over again and be treated like Puerto Rico and spend decades to see if they can be good citizens.