I should be getting used to it by now; it seems like there's at least one mass shooting in the US every month. You just process one and then there's another. But the shooting on the weekend in Orlando struck closer to home than usual.
My kids are young adults; they go to night clubs all the time. And my daughter is part of the LGBT community. I woke up Sunday morning and realized they're a potential target for someone's ignorant, pathetic hate.
She's got a trip planned to LA next week. I'm scared to have her go. Even though there's seemingly a lot of people there who are armed to the hilt for 'protection', it doesn't give me comfort.
And honestly, the crazy nonsense I've been reading online over the past few days has me worried that there's no 'normal' any more down south. Hell, I'm sticking to stamp collecting forums and I still see more hate, ignorance and paranoid fear than I can stomach.
All of us are just floating through space, you know? Just trying to make sense of this crazy messed up thing called "life." And when I read some of the reactions to the latest disaster I realize I'm no closer to figuring it out.
I don't know what's worse: the sick hatred that's behind these crimes or the fear and ignorance that fuels the flames. All I know is that the story is getting really old.
I can't remember a time in my life when we weren't encouraged to hate another group, be it national, religious, racial or sexual. Can you?