Routine in the United States of Gunmerica

In the past 24 hours: El Paso. Dayton. And 7 shot in Chicago. I wrote and posted this on my personal page after El Paso.

Routine in the United States of Gunmerica.

Wake up. Brush teeth. Get dressed. Drink coffee. Do work. Grab lunch. Work more. Walk dog. Hear about the latest mass shooting. 15 dead. 20 dead. 5 dead. Comments from witnesses, updates from cops, statements by movie theater owner or garlic festival planner or walmart manager or school principal or concert promoter or nightclub owner. It was horrific. I thought it was fireworks. I heard a pop pop pop. I saw him bleeding. I saw them running. I ran. I hid. It could have been me. He was a hero. She was so brave. List of victims with photos and sentences about their hobbies, hubbies, puppies, children, hopes, and dreams. Thoughts and prayers. Prayers and thoughts. Thayers and proughts. Go to the grocery store. Hear about the latest shootings in Chicago neighborhoods. Short description, age, name, address. Shrieking mother, orphaned kid, update by cops, statement by Mayor. Maybe thoughts and prayers, but not usually. The daily shootings are like drips. The victims often Black and brown. Easier, godknowswhy, for people to ignore. But they add up and up and up just not all at once. Work some more. Make dinner. Brush teeth. Go to sleep.

Wake up...brush teeth. Same routine, different day. Get ready again to think and pray. Almost nothing left to say.

And on and on and on and on and on and on and on it goes.

If you haven’t joined or donated to a gun violence prevention organization yet, do it now: Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Moms Demand Action - IL, People for a Safer Society, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Mothers Against Senseless Killings.

Also, consider joining a local Evanston organization that provides supports for our youth. You can find a list on dearevanston.org.

—Nina