I’ve neglected my blog. I dropped out of grad school. I had to assume responsibility for my grandmother and help her die peacefully. I’m still advocating for diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI). I’m part of the fight for trans rights, even though I’m not doing nearly as much as some others are (and I thank them, it’s such a thankless fight.) It’s been a rough set of years for all of us and I haven’t wanted to write.

Today I have to let it out.

Because research is interesting, see the article from NPR about mass shootings. (TLDR; arming more people doesn’t help).

Because I have an opinion… and I’m tired with supercilious social media discussions, time to dismiss a few things and get to some roots.

This can’t be excused “because evil happens.” Banning everything won’t fly.

Part of me likes the idea of training and licensing being a requisite for purchase of a gun, with exceptions for police and military (they get their training as part of the job).

However, the much bigger problem is that we don’t value human life in this society. People are disposable. All the fights are around “being born” but then it stops. We all need medical care at some point (usually many points) in our lives, but people go bankrupt getting it, sometimes even with some sort of insurance. Kids don’t get quality educations. We actually fight about giving a hungry kid food at school. Children and elders are ‘worthless’ in our society because they don’t “do” anything, they don’t produce for some stockholder somewhere. Disrespect at least, if not downright hate, for “other” folks has become common. No one seems to remember that we are ALL American citizens when they spout this crap.

Citizenship in this country has become an afterthought – looking different than a ‘white christian’ (lower case c intentional) is enough to dismiss someone’s humanity.

What was that thing Jesus said about how you treat the least of them is how you treat me?

Racism, xenophobia, transphobia, homophobia, pick-your-phobia, with dumb ass opinion shows, talking heads, media sources that fan those flames to incite and get your hard earned $$… They’re making everything out as binary good and bad, AS IF one answer will ever be correct… (Give up on binary answers, already! Life is not multiple choice testing.)

We’ve lost our humanity. All the other shit like time, money, status, is MADE UP by humans. It’s not real!

A child saying they love you… that’s real.

People joke about Ringo saying “Peace and Love” all the time; but that’s the realness. I’m about ready to start saying it all the time too – maybe if more of us said it, thought about it, put it into action within ourselves, it might happen.

We haven’t cared enough to keep our children alive.

Don’t bitch about “protecting kids from queers.” What a waste of time and colossal scapegoating, let alone fundraising for the R party. Actually do some real shit to benefit kids. Feed them! Care about them, help them grow! Work through the physical and mental health challenges of growing up!

Have resources for elders, so that they have companionship, care for their needs and aren’t left home alone to die.

Where’s our humanity for other humans or for our fellow citizens?

Oh yeah. We have no time to give a poo about anyone else when we’re all scrambling to survive, and it’s all “someone else’s fault”.

Our society only cares about the I. …which is no society at all. It’s a land locked pile of selfish greedy bastards.

“God has no children to come back for” —- George Michael