Active Shooter

Today is Father’s Day and I’m thinking of my dad, a World War II veteran, who fought to keep this country safe.

He saw men die in great numbers and I’m sure it scarred him in ways I’ll never be able understand.

But after last week’s horrific events at Pulse, a gay club in Orlando, after yet another mass shooting in America, I’m wondering what was the point of all that sacrifice and suffering?

The Greatest Generation fought to keep foreign killers out of this country, but today we can proudly kill each other with terrifying weapons that my father and his comrades couldn’t begin to imagine.

So here we go again, another senseless fucking slaughter in the Land of the Free. There will be the usual candlelight vigils, and flowers piled up at the site of this latest abomination, and people will pray and vow that the victims will never be forgotten.

But why? Why bother with all that horseshit when we all know that there’s another mass shooting just around the corner waiting to happen?

Nothing’s going to change. The gun lobby owns congress and they won’t do anything to stop the carnage as long as the money keeps rolling in.

Hell, it was just a year ago that a racist lunatic killed nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. And look how far we’ve come since then….

The Second Amendment imbeciles, led by Donald “Agent Orange” Trump, got hysterical because the Orlando shooter was a Muslim who voiced support for ISIS, conveniently ignoring the fact that the vast majority of mass murderers are not Muslims.

But, hey, why let the facts get in the way of your God given right to be a flaming asshole?

Gun Play

And as far as this guy being a member of ISIS, it’s looking more and more that he was just “a typical mass shooter,” which is pretty sad when such maniacs are labeled as “typical.”

It doesn’t why these people are killing us; it only matters that we’re making it so fucking easy.

There have been so many horrifying images surrounding the atrocity at Pulse, but the one I can’t stop thinking about are the parents, friends, and relatives who gathered outside the nightclub as soon as word got out about the shooting.

These poor people were stranded in the most terrible kind of limbo, not knowing if they’re loved ones were dead or alive.

No one should have to suffer like that—no one.

I would like to see some of the swaggering gun lovers walk up to these people and tell them about the Founding Fathers desire to have us all armed to the teeth.

I want them to peddle that brain dead bullshit to their faces—not on a website, not while cowering in a radio studio or appearing in the Fox News fantasy factory—but out there among the people who are hurting the most.

What a perfect time to prove how brave you are.

If you’re looking for any good news here, forget it. Since the Orlando massacre last Sunday, there have been at least 125 gun deaths in America, including three men who were shot to death over a dispute about firewood.

Police identified the alleged shooter as Erick Shute, a self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen” and apparent non-Muslim.

I’m sure there are many more sovereign citizens out there legally buying all sorts of obscene firepower and preparing to enter a mall, a church, a school or a nightclub and start shooting.

And meanwhile the country my father fought for will rapidly fade away in clouds of gun smoke and gallons of spilled blood.

Comments

Ron said…
Rob, from last Sunday until two days ago, I've done nothing by sob about this horrendous massacre in Orlando. I watched it on the news non-stop since last Sunday and eventually had to pull myself away from watching about it because it consumed my thoughts for days and days. I used to live in Orlando, Florida and knew of this place, Pulse, so it hit home for me. And also, I got word a few days ago from my dearest friend in Orlando that the young girl who was shot and killed while in the club that night, the one who had the SnapChat video, was the daughter of my friend's co-worker.


Like you, the part that tore me apart the most were the parents, relatives and friends outside the club, as soon as word got out about the shooting. I can't even imagine the amount of grief these poor people went through, and will continue to go through.

I may share about my feeling about this on my blog at some later date, however, I need to wait until I'm less angry and grieving.
Rob K said…
Oh, Ron, I am so terribly sorry. I had no idea of your close connection to the place and I'm so sorry about your friend's co-worker.

This has been a waking nightmare for so many people. Take care of yourself, buddy, and remember that I've got your back!
Anonymous said…
Well this was an intense post to say the least. I actually worked in Orlanda (Disney to be exact) for a bit of time so when I heard the news I was texting everyone I know who still works there to make sure they were okay. Its horrible that this type of stuff continues to happen and puts us in this sort of panic. But the one thing I keep reminding myself is tension among us is what they want. Whoever they are. If we are going to divide because of these senseless killings, the murderer won. And I dont want that. So I hope everyone can but their issues and opinions aside and just pray for those who were lost.
Rob K said…
Hey, great to hear from you! Hope all is well.

Glad your friends are okay. As to the issue at hand, well, with all due respect, the prayers aren't working. We have to act.
This post really got to my core. I have been thinking the same thing. Obviously, unlike you I am on the side of the pond. Thanks, beautiful sentiments expressed here and the right amount of rage to go with it.

Greetings from London.
Rob K said…
Thanks, Brother. We're going through some very dark times here and I'm having trouble finding the light.

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