I really don’t know what to say this morning. I woke up yesterday with a heavy heart — the day marked seven years since my wonderful, amazing friend Jackie passed away from a brain tumor. And then the day got worse…unfathomably worse. Mass-shootings — mass-murders — in two major cities, only 13 hours apart. Two more cities to insert into the CityNameStrong hashtag. Twenty-nine more families changed forever. In the eight months since a mass-shooting killed twelve people in my hometown of Thousand Oaks, there have been over 250 additional mass-shootings. I had to scroll through TWELVE PAGES of mass-shootings to find the entry for Thousand Oaks.
I’m disgusted, and I don’t understand how every person in this country isn’t disgusted, too. If we don’t do something soon about this horrific national emergency, it will be too late.
Around The ‘Net
~It’s Never “Too Soon” to Talk About Preventing Mass Shootings. It’s Always Too Late.
~After Sandy Hook, we said never again. And then we let 2,189 mass shootings happen.
~Twin mass shootings turn U.S. focus to gun control, racism
~An American Middle Schooler, Orphaned by Deportation
~A Blood Test for Alzheimer’s? It’s Coming, Scientists Report
~The forgotten ‘wolf children’ of World War II
~‘The Terror’ Summons the Ghosts of a Real-Life Horror Story
~The way we die will be considered unthinkable 50 years from now
~How Jaywalking Could Jam Up the Era of Self-Driving Cars
~How Google created a Nigerian voice and accent for Maps
~Major universities are starting to offer cannabis degree programs
~Astronauts will bake cookies in space to see how they cook in zero gravity
~Study Reveals 1 in 4 Delivery Drivers Admit to Tasting Customers’ Food Before It’s Delivered
~‘The Blair Witch Project’ at 20: Why It Can’t Be Replicated
Ways To Help
~Financially assist the victims and families of the El Paso shooting
~Donate blood and volunteer resources to the Red Cross
~Moms Demand
~Every Town
~March for our Lives
~Contact your elected officials and demand action
Be safe, everyone.
Gail Okeson says:
I agree with everything you said Heather. I am beyond sickened and angry…I want to run down my street shouting “We have to do something NOW!” Other than donating blood in my hometown (St Paul MN) I am at a loss.
Patrice says:
I also agree with you 100%. Unfortunately until we vote the republicans out of office, I don’t foresee any real changes made to our laws. It is unbelievable to me that this continues to happen. In another few days these will be forgotten about and we’ll be on to the next one. It’s heartbreaking. Thanks for speaking out about it.
Ann says:
My heart aches for all those involved. Sadly, this is becoming far too commonplace, and it terrifies me. I worry about my family, my kids and my friends attending anything where a large crowd will be, out of fear this happening in near our home, and I don’t see change coming any time soon.
Jeanie says:
Someone, or some group, made a nice banner and hung it on one of our freeway crossings. It says, “Where is the love?” Made me tear up a little.
Heather says:
I also suggest taking a Stop the Bleed class. Many people die in mass shootings because they bleed out before they can get help. It’s simply too much for the paramedics, and they are increasingly relying on civilians to help. It takes just three minutes for someone to bleed out from an arterial wound.
You’ll learn how to use a tourniquet, evaluate injuries and apply pressure until help arrives. You can find classes near you at bleedingcontrol.org.
If you’re ever involved in one of these are are lucky enough to survive, it’s nice to know there’s at least something you can do.
Auntie_M says:
Thank you! At least we wouldn’t feel as helpless in our terror.
Auntie_M says:
Heather, 1st let me say I thought of you and your precious Jackie this weekend and knew it would be a hard weekend for you. And then the weekend became horrific. Again. Two weekends in a row. I’m sickened by the fact that this keeps happening here and yet nothing is ever done. Enough is never really enough, unlike other countries who only have 1 mass shooting. But, I continue to support EveryTown, and Mom’s Demand and am grateful to have Representatives who support tough gun laws.
My love goes out to you. Thanks for pulling together all these resources.
Brenn says:
I recently relocated. We lived in a mostly liberal mindset—we moved to a place that votes conservative. It’s been a challenge.
I vote for people. Automatic weapons kill people- no regular, nonmilitary citizen needs to own an automatic weapon.
Because I vote for people.