guns

Assassination

~ MaryG ~ 12 Comments

My husband and I tried to remember the last time we’d seen a gruesome assassination of a public figure. We couldn’t think of anything. We were too young to have seen JFK’s mortal head wound (when his brains went spattering across Jackie’s suit). And when John Lennon got shot, there was no video. Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota legislator assassinated in June, and her husband were not nationally known and again, there was no video.

So, this Charlie Kirk assassination is fairly shocking to me. I watched the close-up video and wow…a total kill shot. His whole upper body shook, and blood came spurting out of his neck as he went limp with the microphone in his hand. Absolutely horrific.

Even though we see it in movies and on TV all the time, real murder and gun violence is scarring to see at close range, even in a video.

Check-out Lydia’s post for a clearer understanding of Mr. Kirk’s views on gun violence and policy in the United States.

Do your part

~ MaryG ~ 4 Comments

What principles define how you live?

I think I’m more pragmatic than highly principled. I want to live in a peaceful world, where everyone gets along, and basic needs are met for all. I believe in democracy and capitalism within reason. I believe the government should provide basic services, including education, and should get involved in regulating and overseeing private industry to protect us and our environment. I believe there are certain things that only government can do, like protect our civil rights and bodily autonomy, including protecting us from gun violence.

I believe it is an individual’s responsibility to act in a way that contributes to society and if possible, don’t burden others. Work, pay your taxes, raise decent children, exercise, floss, and for goodness sake’s VOTE, even when it’s a real pain in the ass. Like tonight.

Massachusetts towns have this crazy form of local government called Town Meeting. It’s incredibly time consuming as people can stand up and pontificate ad nauseum on anything from a new firetruck to a new bylaw regulating backyard chickens.

Tonight there’s a zoning question around guns. Pro second amendment people will pack the meeting, as will parents and others who want to limit the number of firearms businesses in town. I’d rather stay home and watch Hotel Portofino on Masterpiece, but I will go to Town Meeting. Because you gotta do your part.

This is Article 9. It’s not as interesting as Masterpiece, but showing up and voting YES is the least I can do.
The simple version

I feel safe

~ MaryG ~ Leave a comment
Daily writing prompt
What positive emotion do you feel most often?
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Have you noticed how you get asked: “Do you feel safe at home?” at every medical appointment these days? It’s like a law or something. Without a second thought, I always answer yes. I never worry about being hurt by someone in my home.

Sadly, millions of people, especially women and children, cannot truthfully answer yes to that question. In my town, a beautful, promising high school senior was murdered by her father in 2010, when my daughter was a freshman at the same school. It was surreal, almost unfathomable.

It’s easy to take safety for granted, but it’s not a given. Men especially should think about that every time they want to complain about things like “safe spaces” or “trigger warnings.” The reality is that many, many people don’t feel safe in their own homes or relationships and can’t easily get out. If there’s a gun in the home, that makes everything worse. If you haven’t seen it, the series Maid on Netflix is great.

One last thing, I had a male colleague give me a hard time because I complained about female staff members being expected to walk to a remote parking lot (under an expressway in Boston) after an event that we were all required to attend. He just coudn’t understand how I could bring up PARKING, when he was dealing with so many important and stressful details! Maybe if he’d ever felt afraid enough to lace his keys between his fingers on a dark or deserted street, he’d have understood a bit better.

Apparently this way is better and safer for your hand