Fourteen Dead
(it happened yesterday evening, my time)
“Fourteen dead in San Bernardino.
What is this inhuman trend?”
From my journal last night,
wondering what is going on.
Serial killers (I say serial means
mass murder, whether happening
once or over time)—they enter a
community center “with long
guns.” (This from the news.)
They shoot and kill.
Maybe they are killed or
captured afterward. The
investigation goes on.
We once feared a hand upon
an efficient surface, fingers ready
to press a button, sending atomic
missiles into space to fall back
to earth again in a foe’s land.
We still fear this.
We fear that killing from
afar lacks the moral intimacy
in killings of the past. We
worry about drones this
way. And we still have
more personal ways to kill.
Does a gun make the murder
seem distant, too? Pull a
shiny trigger, bullet travels
through a silvery barrel, the
target is hit. No personal contact
yet. Like the launch, is this
too easy, too?
If never done before, maybe
so. Or maybe when one
kills, there is no person there.
Only an objective.
clcouch123 
December 3, 2015 at 7:03 pm
yes, there is a new atrocity every day, how convenient for the news media…
December 4, 2015 at 7:00 pm
It does give grist for the mill.
December 4, 2015 at 3:54 am
How horrible it is! The media doesn’t give answers, only spreads more toxic fear. We need change and action.
December 4, 2015 at 7:01 pm
Yes, half the time I hear on the news that this was done for personal reasons. Half the time I hear that they were terrorists. Could we maybe agree to wait until we know?
December 4, 2015 at 2:05 pm
These stories are so sad, and yes it seems the distance between the bullet’s destination and the barrel makes the target so far that more and more of these shootings are happening; hope it soon stops!
December 4, 2015 at 7:05 pm
Yes, let’s hope it stops soon! Maybe the lack of intimacy in violence as technology improves the means does make violence easier. Take away the guns except those used for hunting works for me. Someone will say, then we’ll come up with other ways to hurt each other (and use the hunting guns, too). Okay, then we’ll deal with that. Thanks for your comments. They’re encouraging!
December 5, 2015 at 3:20 am
I have nominated you for the Liebster Award! Here’s the link to the post explaining it: https://anoffbeatbluestocking.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/the-liebster-award/
I look forward to reading what else you write!
December 5, 2015 at 8:14 pm
Thanks so much for the nomination. As I read the requirements, I see I have to nominate others. Which I’m happy to do, though I don’t know how to yet. So I’m going to have to gulp down my ignorance and give it a go. You are making me grow. That’s good!
December 5, 2015 at 8:48 pm
You’re welcome! And all you have to do is copy and paste their WordPress url into your post OR, just list their blog names and then tell them you nominated through comments. Good luck!
December 23, 2015 at 2:15 am
How does one step into the mind of someone capable of murder without even emotion? I don’t understand. You have an important point of view. I hope you will consider posting tomorrow at the Senior Salon.
December 23, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Thanks for your reply. Your comments are extraordinarily encouraging. The Senior Salon sounds intriguing, though I don’t know what that is. I really haven’t been blogging all that long. Would you tell me something of the Salon, please? Thanks again, so much!