“Arms heavy, face down on a death bed
Blame the gods while choking on the violence
In the end, silence is deafening”
Daughtry – World On Fire
I am going to start this post out with a little bit of a disclaimer. Some of you are going to read this and agree with me, that’s good. Some of you are going to read this and disagree with me, that is also good. Those of you who read this and have no reaction, not good. Get your shit together or this kind of stuff will continue. It is on us to make things change.
As I’m sure you have figured you out by now this is a post about the real world. If you have been around for any length of time you know this is not the first time I’ve sat and wrote like this and it certainly won’t be the last. If you are new here and want some ideas of what I mean, check the following posts; One Way Or Another, It’s Gonna Make It’s Presence Known, I Feel Like There’s More Purpose, and Blue? Red? It Doesn’t Matter Anymore. So yes this isn’t a new thing. To be honest I love writing about whatever is on my mind because the point of doing this is because you enjoy it right? That being said these kinds of posts can tend to be frustrating in the sense that my words may carry meaning, both mine, and some readers, amongst others. But they are at the end of the day just words. It takes actions backing up the words to make meaningful change in this messed up world of ours. I think we are long past due on that.
This could go in a lot of different directions and in the end I know there are people who will not agree with my thinking. All good there. The door is over there if you need it. I respect your opinion and thoughts on it, but this is my place. So where to start. Why not the same place we did last time. Dates. Facts are important right? They inform us. They are concrete. We can’t really argue them. Let’s go. We’ll cover mass shootings, so for my context that’s anything with four or more deaths. This is going to take a while so buckle up.
2022 – Total Mass Shootings thus far 254
June 2, 2022 – Centerville, Texas – 6 Dead. June 1, 2022 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – 5 Dead. May 27, 2022 – Stanwood, Michigan – 4 Dead. May 24, 2022 – Uvalde, Texas – 22 Dead. May 14, 2022 – Buffalo, New York – 10 Dead. April 27, 2022 – Biloxi, Mississippi – 4 Dead. April 21, 2022 – Mountain View, Arkansas – 4 Dead. April 20, 2022 – Duluth, Minnesota – 5 Dead. April 3, 2022 – Sacramento, California – 6 Dead. February 28, 2022 – Sacramento, California – 5 Dead. February 5, 2022 – Corsicana, Texas – 6 Dead. January 23, 2022 – Inglewood, California – 4 Dead. January 23, 2022 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 6 Dead.
2021 – Total Mass Shootings 692
December 31, 2021 – Gulfport, Mississippi – 4 Dead. December 27, 2021 – Denver, Colorado – 6 Dead. November 30, 2021 – Oxford, Michigan – 4 Dead. November 30, 2021 – Rex, Georgia – 4 Dead. November 28, 2021 – Lancaster, California – 5 Dead. November 14, 2021 – Tucson, Arizona – 4 Dead. October 21, 2021 – Tacoma, Washington – 4 Dead. October 21, 2021 – Farwell, Michigan – 4 Dead. September 25, 2021 – Athens, Tennessee – 4 Dead. September 24, 2021 – Aiken, South Carolina – 4 Dead. September 12, 2021 – Saint Paul, Minnesota – 4 Dead. September 5, 2021 – Houston, Texas – 4 Dead. September 5, 2021 – Lakeland, Florida – 4 Dead. July 25, 2021 – Wasco, California – 5 Dead. July 20, 2021 – Jacksonville, Texas – 4 Dead. July 18, 2021 – Tucson, Arizona – 4 Dead. June 15, 2021 – Chicago, Illinois – 5 Dead. May 26, 2021 – San Jose, California – 10 Dead. May 24, 2021 – West Jefferson, Ohio – 4 Dead. May 9, 2021 – Colorado Springs, Colorado – 7 Dead. May 8, 2021 – Gwynn Oak, Maryland – 4 Dead. April 28, 2021 – Boone, North Carolina – 5 Dead. April 19, 2021 – Indianapolis, Indiana – 9 Dead. April 7, 2021 – Rock Hill, South Carolina – 7 Dead. April 3, 2021 – Allen, Texas – 6 Dead. March 31, 2021 – Orange, California – 4 Dead. March 28, 2021 – Essex, Maryland – 5 Dead. March 22, 2021 – Boulder, Colorado – 10 Dead. March 16, 2021 – Acworth, Georgia – 8 Dead. March 16, 2021 – Phoenix, Arizona – 4 Dead. March 13, 2021 – Indianapolis, Indiana – 4 Dead. February 2, 2021 – Muskogee, Oklahoma – 6 Dead. January 24, 2021 – Indianapolis, Indiana – 5 Dead. January 9, 2021 – Evanston, Illinois – 6 Dead.
2020 – Total Mass Shootings 610
December 25, 2020 – Atkins, Arkansas – 5 Dead. December 22, 2020 – Meridian, Mississippi – 5 Dead. December 13, 2020 – Elkview, West Virginia – 4 Dead. December 8, 2020 – Williamsburg, West Virginia – 6 Dead. November 30, 2020 – Palmer, Alaska – 4 Dead. November 3, 2020, Henderson, Nevada – 4 Dead. September 7, 2020 – Aguanga, California – 7 Dead. August 15, 2020 – Belleville, Michigan – 4 Dead. July 29, 2020 – Elyria, Ohio – 5 Dead. July 19, 2020 – Detroit, Michigan – 4 Dead. July 7, 2020 – Paterson, New Jersey – 4 Dead. July 4, 2020 – Chicago, Illinois – 4 Dead. June 22, 2020 – Charlotte, North Carolina – 4 Dead. June 11, 2020 – Monroe, Louisiana – 6 Dead. June 4, 2020 – Valhermoso Springs, Alabama – 7 Dead. May 17, 2020 – Saint Matthews, South Carolina – 4 Dead. April 27, 2020 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 5 Dead. March 15, 2020 – Moncure, North Carolina – 7 Dead. March 15, 2020 – Springfield, Missouri – 5 Dead. February 26, 2020 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 6 Dead. February 5, 2020 – Indianapolis, Indiana – 4 Dead. January 24, 2020 – Vanceboro, North Carolina – 5 Dead. January 17, 2020 – Grantsville, Utah – 4 Dead.
2019 – Total Mass Shootings 417
December 17, 2019 – Great Falls, Montana – 4 Dead. December 10, 2019 – Jersey City, New Jersey – 6 Dead. December 6, 2019 – Pensacola, Florida – 4 Dead. November 17, 2019 – Fresno, California – 4 Dead. November 16, 2019 – San Diego, California – 6 Dead. October 31, 2019 – Orinda, California – 5 Dead. October 30, 2019 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 4 Dead. October 12, 2019 – Brooklyn, New York – 4 Dead. October 12, 2019 – Chicago, Illinois – 5 Dead. October 7, 2019 – Abington, Massachusetts – 5 Dead. October 6, 2019 – Kansas City, Kansas – 4 Dead. September 29, 2019 – Beaumont, Texas – 4 Dead. September 21, 2019 – Cleveland, Ohio – 4 Dead. September 12, 2019 – Albuquerque, New Mexico – 4 Dead. September 2, 2019 – Elkmont, Alabama – 5 Dead. August 31, 2019 – Odessa, Texas – 8 Dead. August 4, 2019 – Dayton, Ohio – 10 Dead. August 3, 2019 – El Paso, Texas – 23 Dead. July 28, 2019 – Gilroy, California – 4 Dead. July 28, 2019 – Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin – 5 Dead. July 25, 2019 – Canoga Park, California – 4 Dead. July 6, 2019 – Saint Louis, Missouri – 5 Dead. June 23, 2019 – San Jose, California – 5 Dead. June 21, 2019 – Santa Maria, California – 5 Dead. June 8, 2019 – White Swan, Washington – 5 Dead. May 31, 2019 – Virginia Beach, Virginia – 13 Dead. May 13, 2019 – Saint Louis, Missouri – 4 Dead. April 28, 2019 – West Chester, Ohio – 4 Dead. February 16, 2019 – Clinton, Mississippi – 5 Dead. February 15, 2019 – Aurora, Illinois – 6 Dead. February 11, 2019 – Livingston, Texas – 5 Dead. February 3, 2019 – Palm Springs, California – 4 Dead. January 26, 2019 – Gonzales, Louisiana – 5 Dead. January 24, 2019 – State College, Pennsylvania – 4 Dead. January 24, 2019 – Rockmart, Georgia – 4 Dead. January 23, 2019 – Sebring, Florida – 5 Dead.
2018 – Total Mass Shootings 336
December 28, 2018 – Saint Charles, Missouri – 4 Dead. November 19, 2018 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 4 Dead. November 13, 2018 – Gallup, New Mexico – 4 Dead. November 7, 2018 – Thousand Oaks, California – 13 Dead. October 27, 2018 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – 11 Dead. October 15, 2018 – Columbia, Tennessee – 5 Dead. October 13, 2018 – Taft, Texas – 4 Dead. September 20, 2018 – Aberdeen, Maryland – 4 Dead. September 17, 2018 – Silver Spring, Maryland – 4 Dead. September 12, 2018 – Bakersfield, California – 6 Dead. September 6, 2018 – Cincinnati, Ohio – 4 Dead. August 12, 2018 – Clearlake, California – 4 Dead. July 27, 2018 – Robstown, Texas – 5 Dead. July 9, 2018 – Wilmington, Delaware – 5 Dead. June 28, 2018 – Annapolis, Maryland – 5 Dead. June 11, 2018 – Orlando, Florida – 6 Dead. May 18, 2018 – Santa Fe, Texas – 10 Dead. May 16, 2018 – Ponder, Texas – 5 Dead. April 22, 2018 – Antioch, Michigan – 4 Dead. April 18, 2018 – Asheville, North Carolina – 4 Dead. February 26, 2018 – Detroit, Michigan – 5 Dead. February 14, 2018 – Parkland, Florida – 17 Dead. February 11, 2018 – Detroit, Michigan – 4 Dead. February 10, 2018 – Paintsville, Kentucky – 5 Dead. January 28, 2018 – Melcroft, Pennsylvania – 5 Dead. January 28, 2018 – Reading, Pennsylvania – 4 Dead.
Now those are just the last five years and only shootings with four or more deaths. There are many more that are less than four and more years that I didn’t feel needed to be covered. Why is that you might ask? Because if the five years of shootings with four or more deaths isn’t enough to make this make sense to you, then I have decided that you are probably unreachable on this issue. If you have doubts or questions about these numbers I will glad provide you links to all the years covered here so you can see these and more. Have a look for yourself, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018. If you want more years here is where to look – Gun Violence Archive. All the numbers are there to see. What’s the pattern though? It happens everywhere in America is the pattern.
The saying we always hear is the gun isn’t the problem, the person is. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Yes sure that is true to a degree. You also hear a good guy with a gun is the best counter to a bad guy with a gun. Now I could argue that a million different ways and a million times over. But I don’t have to. Why don’t I have to though? Because I can give you an example to prove that wrong in the last month. Buffalo, New York, May 14, 2022 – 10 people shot dead at a supermarket. The security guard put himself in harms way to try and save people there and died. He was a security guard. A retired police officer. His name is Aaron Salter Jr. Remember his name because he did the right thing. He died trying to save others and likely did save others.
Now let’s flip the script. Uvalde, Texas, May 24, 2022 – 17 people shot dead at an elementary school. Facts are as follows. This school district has it’s own police force. As teachers and students are calling 911 what are the police doing? They’re standing waiting for more protective equipment and trying to find a key for the classroom doors. It took an hour and 17 minutes before officers entered. Now say what you will, sure the officers could have been injured or killed in trying to enter the classroom, but an hour and 17 minutes? The retired police officer, who certainly didn’t have the protective equipment that these officers do, let alone what they waited for, didn’t wait to act. To me there is no excuse for them to wait like they did knowing innocent children were being slaughtered just feet from them.
I’ve read enough to know what that gun did to those children. The level of damage and destruction it caused and causes on a regular basis is not needed outside of actual war. If you need that kind of weapon to hunt or protect your family you truly suck at both of those things. None of us need a fucking AR-15 in our lives. Trust me Bambi is not going to go Rambo and kick your ass, but really if you need an AR-15 to kill Bambi then maybe you would get your ass kicked without it. Yes they are out there, yes the bad people can and will find a way to get it if they really want it, but when practically anyone can just go and get one when they want to does not help. Look at those numbers up there and tell me it helps. You will never convince me because even though the talking heads will say to arm the teachers, the guards, the whatever person fits that incident, it hasn’t fixed anything.
It always too soon to have the conversation about changing things. Well Columbine was 23 years ago. Too soon to talk about it, thoughts and prayers. Sandy Hook was 10 years ago. Too soon to talk about it, thoughts and prayers. Parkland was 4 years ago. Too soon to talk about it, thoughts and prayers. Robb Elementary in Uvalde was 17 days ago. More thoughts and prayers, more dancing around actually fixing the problem. When is enough, enough? This isn’t a red or blue issue either. Both sides have blood on their hands and will forever. Even after you fix it you are complicit in what has happened. Stop blaming, stop distracting, stop stalling, delaying, put human lives above the campaign donation that you don’t need. Kids are dying. Their lives matter more than your wallet. You sit and worry about your political career. How old are you again? How long have you been there now? What about the kids who had dreams of being a doctor, lawyer, marine biologist, teacher, etc? What about all of the futures we’ve lost because none of you act. You talk a lot, but it’s all hollow. Never do you follow up with actual change. That’s why this cycle just repeats. It’s sickening.
Thoughts and prayers over and over and yet what do they do for these people who lost their loved ones? Great someone is thinking of me and praying for me, but mom is not coming back, dad is not coming back, my brother, sister, son, daughter, nephew, niece, grandma, grandpa, cousin, friend, etc is never coming back. Spare me the thoughts and prayers legislators and the like. We need to DO something or we’re just going to keep watching people die for no god damn reason at all. I’ve had enough with this shit. Have your Second Amendment, fine, but let’s put some rules in place to pare down this bullshit. If it works for other countries then it can work here. There’s a reason this is a very distinct AMERICAN problem. It’s time to fix it.
“Can you hear the crowd like a thousand sirens?
In the night like thunder striking
The sickness is rising
The angels are crying
That’s the sound of a world on fire
Fire”
Daughtry – World On Fire
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