Today, there was a terrorist act in Parkland, Florida. A high school (and an elementary school a block away) both went under lockdown after someone (speculation is that is was a student) opened fire as classes were letting out.
I'm always upset anytime this happens. It's never easy. There's no reason that these things need to happen. But this one was different. One of my sister's daughters goes to that high school, and one of her other kids is at the elementary school.
My phone has been buzzing non-stop for the past 90 minutes. The good news: her high school aged daughter is home. They will get her elementary age child home as soon as the lockdown ends. But how the hell do you deal with this?
Thoughts and prayers don't do shit. This is the 18th such shooting in 2018. On February 14th. Roughly once every three days, we have a mass shooting/terrorist attack, and every time, we can count on "thoughts and prayers" that supposedly make it all better.
It's a giant load of BS, and the only way to change it is to rid ourselves of the easy availability of guns. That will not happen without massive political action. What will happen is my sister's high school aged daughter will remember this for the rest of her life.
Actions speak louder than words. Shove your thoughts and prayers up your ass.
UPDATE: This is the text from my sister’s daughter during the shooting. Imagine being a mom, at work, and getting this stream of text from your daughter while she is at school.
How the hell do you deal with that? Thoughts and prayers? “Okay, sweetie. Sorry about the lockdown. I’m thinking of and praying for you. See you tonight!” What do you do when it’s your own child? This is my sister’s kid and it consumed my afternoon. I have no idea what my sister is going through, but I am damn well sure thoughts and prayers will not be helping anytime soon.