Thank you for your comments yesterday. I remember exactly when I became a gun control activist. It was May 1, 1994, when John Lentz, who was a student in our MFA program and one of my favorite people, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Balboa Park in San Diego. He was just a few weeks away from receiving his MFA degree. He was 24 years old.
He was killed by a 17 year old girl who was riding with two men who were felons. The handgun was obtained illegally and far, far too easily. On a whim, they decided to stop John and his girlfriend (also my student) as they walked home after a closing night party. They pulled up next to them, the killer aimed her gun, and she shot both of them.
Words cannot express the heartbreak we all felt. We knew John’s family. We had spent time with them. They were and are lovely people, all that is good. We flew to Kansas for his funeral. He was funny, intelligent, kind and very talented. He was on the brink of a career in acting. He had everything to live for. And it was all wiped out in a second. I sat through portions of the trial later that summer, trying to support John’s mother as she grieved, staring down the killer. It was awful.
I vowed then and there to fight for gun control and, though the years since have seen more and more mass murders, more and more carnage, and it sometimes feels fruitless, I am as committed as ever.
I am also very familiar with the NRA. My father was a member for years. I was never a fan of guns and I have always been anti-hunting. But the NRA in those days was a very different entity than the the NRA of today, which is now being led by extremists. To my father’s everlasting credit, when he realized what it had become, he ended his membership. We had a conversation about that not long before he died.
Guns are meant to harm and/or kill. Even if they’re being used for defense, the end result is the same. The difference being that a musket was loaded one musket ball at a time. A semi-automatic rifle can kill or injure many people in what seems like the blink of an eye.
Those are my thoughts this morning. That there are responsible and sane members of the NRA is not open to debate. That the leaders of the NRA and the lobbyists and their spokespeople are doing everything they can to stop any meaningful gun control is also not open to debate. Sandy Hook, which I pass every time I drive to Connecticut, should have changed everything.
It changed nothing.
If you’re in a state with elections today, vote. I am.
And please, no NRA apologists. There is no apology for that organization in its current form. None.
Let’s end with some of nature’s beauty, shall we?
It was rainy all day yesterday until late in the afternoon, when the sun peeked through the dark clouds and the landscape lit up for about five minutes. Fortunately, I noticed and ran for my camera.
Stay hopeful in the face of despair. Fight for what is right.
Happy Tuesday.
I wholeheartedly agree with what you’ve said and am trying to remain hopeful, though some days it’s a struggle.
That bush in your yard is on fire! Just beautiful.
Oh, it is a struggle. Some days I feel utter despair.
Amen, Claudia, totally agree.
Thank you, Becky.
Claudia, I am sorry that I missed the conversation yesterday. The incident that occurred in Texas is in our back door, just 30 miles from our home. I like so many of us am struggling very much right now to find a place of understanding.
I’ve been watching and listening to the governor of Texas, Mr. Abbott – I will not call him governor as he rates right there with the man I will not call President – in complete disbelief of his comments. He actually tweeted back in October and this is a quote ” I’m EMBARRASSED: Texas #2 in nation for new gun purchases behind CALIFORNIA. Let’s pick up the pace Texans. @NRA”
He tweeted that in mid October and look at where the state he is supposed to be leading is at today. He is the embarrassment! That’s just the beginning of the things that make me physically ill about this man. I am not from Texas and God knows I live for the day that I can leave and never return. That man has many, many people in this state that feel just as he does. I do not understand. I will never understand. I DO NOT WANT to understand And I won’t even start on the person that is supposed to be our President and his supposed leadership during yet another mass shooting.
I’m reaching that point that I was at this time last year following our presidential election of complete despair and depression. I have to fight each day to remain positive. Searching out anything that I can do to make a difference. I know I am not alone with the way that I feel but it certainly feels that way sometimes doesn’t it? When will this country realize that we have a gun problem? No one on this earth that isn’t in an official capacity has any reason to own or operate an assault rifle. Period.
Thank you for your safe place to land and discuss these terrible times we are facing as Americans. I hope you can find some peace and contentment in the day. Peace and blessings to all.
I saw Abbott’s prior tweet in Twitter yesterday. I was, of course, appalled. This is so heartbreaking for so many, but living so close to it must be very hard, indeed. Stay strong, Belinda.
agree! stay strong and fight the good fight, the fight for good.
kathy in iowa
Yes. Thank you, Kathy.
meant to say this earlier …
so sorry about the deaths of your students. completely senseless and for what? what did those killers get? hopefully a lifetime spent in a hard prison. hopefully they seek God, too.
Only John died, Kathy. His girlfriend was shot as well, in the leg, but she recovered and is now married and has two lovely daughters.
The killers got life with no parole. The two men, who were accessories, already had two felonies each and in California there was a law called “three strikes” – once you got the third felony you were in prison for life. And that girl – only 17 years old – is spending the rest of her life in prison. They deserve it. I have no sympathy for them.
I cannot get past the statement that the Texas tragedy was a mental health issue and not a gun issue. I completely agree with you that the NRA is out of control and ran by greed, money and extremists. I have always been a republican, now I am thinking about starting my own party called the Common Sense Party!
Kandi
I would join that party, Kandi! Thank you.
Amen…and AMEN!! I just read Belinda’s comment….he actually tweeted that? OMG!
Thank you for those beautiful pictures…I will stare at them, til my blood pressure goes down! Enjoy your day…vote! ;)
Oh yes. I’ve seen that tweet. It’s not wearing very well, is it?
You’re welcome, Donnamae.
Claudia, I agree. And I don’t understand how this laissez-faire attitude to the number of gun deaths. If it were anything else, the govt would be falling all over itself to improve the situation.
Absolutely. Why are guns more important than the lives of Americans?
Your autumnal photos are beautiful Claudia. I don’t often comment (but always read your blog) but I wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and everyone else who struggles with what is happening in your country. It is blatantly obvious to everyone except those at the rotten core of the NRA (and beyond) that the lack of adequate gun control and the easy availability of deadly weapons is a major problem that needs urgent resolution. The evidence is there, for anyone to see. Unfortunately, we live in a world in which evidence, science and facts are drowned by a never-ending avalanche of propaganda and denial. It doesn’t help if the country is being held hostage by an utterly incompetent and power-hungry president. There isn’t a day when I don’t wake up and think about all the awful things that could have and have happened over night.
I am so sad to hear about the utterly pointless death of your students. Unbelievable. Hugs to you xx
We’ve been in a continual nightmare since a year ago tomorrow. It is unceasing.
I should clarify: John died. His girlfriend was shot in the leg but survived and is now married with two children.
I am with you entirely on stricter gun laws. But I believe the deeper problem is in our culture. When did guns and bombs become an acceptable way to solve problems? I grew up with guns…they were for hunting and maybe if someone broke into the house. But disputes with people were solved with words or maybe fists. As kids, we never would have taken a gun to school. We didn’t have violent video games and movies. Our young people today are exposed to too much violence…glorified violence. I don’t know how to change that. I’m not very hopeful it can be. People seem more determined than ever to arm themselves.
Way too much violence. And too much violent rhetoric as well.
We have come to live in the USA for a few years with my husband’s work, yup, we are those dreadful job stealing immigrants you hear so much about. We are settling well and really enjoying our time here but as Brits we did have a long hard think about the gun culture here and if we wanted to expose our kids to it. Earlier this week our kids had a drill at school that had a teacher dressed up pretending to run around the school with a gun, while the kids barricaded doors and practised being quiet or running. It made my husband and I feel rather sick but events like this week show why the practices happen. I am sure that in time common sense will prevail and solutions will be found, I hope it will be sooner rather than later.
Welcome. We’re glad you’re here, Rue, though I’m not real proud of our country at the moment. Just know that most Americans are good and compassionate people. We will find a way to right this situation.
Welcome Rue, to you and your family! We are most definitely glad that you are here. I’m with Claudia in that I’m not very proud of our country at this time. But there are MORE than not Americans that are good and are working to find a way to right all the wrong.
Best to you and your family
Thank you both for your kind wishes, we live in Chicago which we love. We are not very proud of our own country at the moment so we know what that’s like. I agree with you totally Belinda and this very much what we have witnessed since arriving.
xo
I love the picture of that sky with the sun trying to take over. I only see that sky in the fall and early or late winter. And right now with the remaining leaves out there, it really is striking when it happens. Our Burning Bush is turning fire red right now, as well. I love those bushes and the Sumac. Just beautiful.
I am on a news break. I just can’t do it. I have never been the person who buries her head. I HATE that this idiot and his comrades have driven me to it. When I heard the Air Force sort of “missed it” in getting the information into the data base regarding this sick person, I decided I can’t cope with stupidity for a bit. I certainly understand that mistakes happen, but when 26 people have to pay for that mistake with their lives, I can’t even comprehend what can be referred to as a “mistake” any longer. Apparently this new normal is where we are locked up and held as captives with groups of people praying it will all go away. Wishing & hoping……..
I completely understand taking a break. I’m back in it now, but as you know, I have had to take period breaks myself. We must, if only to keep some balance in our lives.
Thank you, Claudia.
You’re welcome, Judy.
I shall continue to be hopeful, when I know the world is filled with people like you, Claudia, and your husband, Don, and your good commenters.
Thank goodness we have this space – and others, as well – to share our thoughts and know that most people are truly good.
Many “non” assault rifles can be modified to be an automatic weapon. ANY gun that IS or COULD be modified to be an automatic or semi automatic must be banned from purchase. Period. No one will change my mind. America wake up! Politicians, stop your game playing and do something we can respect for once!
You are very right, Karen. Any gun that can be modified should be banned. Thank you.
I totally agree. Any policy that allows the killing of children in schools, churches, or on the streets of America is the stupidest thing ever and needs to be changed drastically. But it never will be with the politicians who equate owning a gun with freedom of speech.
You would have thought that after Sandy Hook, everything would have changed. Yet one shoe bomber is caught and for years now, we have had to take our shoes off when going through TSA screening.
Well said my friend. Your personal experience with senseless killing is so powerful, thank you for sharing. I have a friend who’s teenage daughter was killed by someone robbing a Subway. Senseless. I am committed to changing things in our country!
I’m so sorry to hear of that. I can’t imagine the pain your friend has gone through.
I thought I might be only only person who knew when they became anti-gun. I don’t have a date as you do, there are too many. For me the year was 1973. My senior year of high school. In that school year we lost 7 students to guns. None were in the service. They all were between the ages of 16-18. Forty-fours later I can recall each incidence.
This is when I really read the 2nd amendment. I studied it. I decided to needs to be done away with. We no longer need private citizens to become the militia. We have that in other forms.
That would have done it for me, as well. Trudy. Such horrendous loss at such a young age. We don’t need a militia. We have police and the armed services – none of which we had then. Thank you.
I will start with an important comment…we are now sacrificing 18 month old children to protect “the right to her arms” A total ban on assault weapons should be done now. I don;t want to hear any argument against this. The rifles are for killing people nothing else! My second comment is I just noticed I no longer receive your post through my email….wonder why? You are the second site that this has happened to recently. I thought I got them and just by mistake deleted, it can happen.
The answer to your second comment is that I ultimately have no control over that. They are sent out by Feedburner. I subscribe via three different email addresses and I’ve been getting mine. Two suggestions: either resubscribe with a different email address or check your spam. Some email providers block email versions of blogs because they think they’re spam.
I complete agree with you. I saw a picture of the beautiful 18 month old child and my heart was in my throat.
I wholeheartedly agree with you about guns, Claudia. My late father was a lifetime member of the NRA as well. He was also an NC State Trooper. He had strict rules about guns! My 2 brothers were not allowed near them and there was no desire from them to engage in using guns. Like your father, I do not believe daddy would recognize the NRA of today!
We had an incident in the 1990s when a young man dressed in fatigues, loaded to the max, shot students at UNC Chapel Hill like a sniper. The students never had a chance walking on the main street at the university. He was not taking his “medicine” was the defense.
Guns are for killing and it even makes me angry, and I am just speaking for me…when a dude shoots a beautiful wild animal in their own habitat and says “Now isn’t this a beauty?” holding the now dead animal by the head. WRONG. They were prettier when they were alive and minding their own business. I understand the sport of hunting; I guess, and I know that in some areas deer will can over populate. I guess I just hate guns. What is with this America?
Katheryn
If deer overpopulate, let nature take care of it. That’s just an excuse for people to kill them – like they’re doing something selfless and noble. It’s despicable. I heard gun shots the other day and wanted to rip the head off of whoever was hunting. I have always been passionately against it.
Thank you, Katheryn.
I agree. I hear gunshots around here often, as we’re surrounded by a State Park and they allow certain times for deer hunting and I think pheasant hunting, too – and I loathe the sounds of those guns. I have a couple of friends whose husbands hunt and they know I don’t want to hear anything about it. I’ve also had to unfollow a couple of people on Facebook who post pictures of their hunting expeditions.
It makes me sick to my stomach, Melanie.
Living in the UK Claudia it’s very hard for me to understand the American gun culture. I’ve seen no sane, logical argument coming from the gun lobbyists. Guns are for killing and automatic rifles are for killing many. Where is the sense in that? I can only conclude it’s to do with money and out of control egos, which to me is a mental illness in itself. As I write this I realise that this describes your president and I can fully understand your despair at this time. I know there are many people like you in America Claudia, good, intelligent, sane people. I was speaking to my friends in California just a couple of days ago and they echo what you have said. In the meantime we watch and wait for sanity and compassion to return to th White House.
It can’t return soon enough, Val! I’m hoping this whole administration is taken down as a result of TrumpRussia. They are despicable. Thank you.
Amen, Claudia, amen.
And good for your dad re: his NRA membership. To paraphrase Maya, we do better when we know better.
Exactly! Thanks, Elle.