Tea and commentary

Before we begin today, I want to remind you I cannot leave comments on blogs with embedded comments.   Once again, simply scroll to the end of this post if you don't know what an embedded comment is or how to change your comments! 


Next, I want to point you to another Tea Tuesday participant, Pat of Artfully Ooglebloops, whose post referencing her daughter's giveaway is here.  Her daughter takes beautiful photos, so I know you will like her work.  She wants to add people to her Facebook page and is having a giveaway to prove it.  Since I'm not on Facebook, I thought this was something I could do to help.

For the past several days, I've been reading a lot of blogs while glue was drying on more of my Christmas houses.  Many of the people who I visit have mentioned the senseless taking of lives in Connecticut on Friday.  Many believe the world has changed, however, I see it as a continuation of the deaths in schools beginning with the first one I remember in Paducah, KY in 1997.  These students had been praying at the time of the shooting.

Next came Columbine.  This high school massacre occurred in 1999 and I remember seeing it on TV.  From there, I lost track of the carnage that was accompanied by chaos and panic during rampage killings in schools.  Four things I do remember though.

First, each shooter was labeled "troubled."  The shooter was deemed mentally disturbed in some way, either through voices from God, violent video games, or mental defect.

Second, each shooter had access to at least one, and often several guns, many of them legal, as well as a boatload of ammunition.

Third, each story involved a hero in some way or another, whether real or through witness distortion.

Fourth, after each incident, gun control was called for.

Friday's incident was no different.  There was a shooter.  A crazed shooter whose various mental issues were called into question and noted.  Second, there were several guns.  Third, there were heroes.  This time genuine, real, life-sacrificing heroes.  Fourth, news stories on every channel, even the most conservative channels, called for some form of gun control or change.

Although I believe gun ownership is my choice, like I believe in saving lives, being kind, helping others, hugging my cat, and doing my part in times of need, I also believe gun ownership requires responsibility, leadership, education, and good mental health.

Will the killings ever stop?  Will gun ownership be outlawed in the US?  Is this a rural versus urban debate?  Will we find a way to keep guns out of the hands of children and adults who are mentally ill?  Is there any way to change mental health laws in the US?  Only time will tell.

Since I don't often offer a commentary on my blog, I thought this was a great time to start a dialogue about this issue.  So, please enjoy a spot of tea with me today, visit Pat's daughter's Facebook page, and tell me what you think we Americans should do about guns (especially  semi-automatic), our mental health quagmire (which doesn't even allow mothers to report their mentally disturbed children to authorities), and how we can reduce the senseless carnage in the future.  But drink your tea first, please.  It will soothe you, I promise.