Nothing Changes, Except the Names

I have been pretty pissed off for the past two days. And now, as well. The shooting in Uvalde, Texas has been on my mind, as I know it has been for just about all of us. I grew up in Texas. I spent one Summer in San Antonio, and so I knew where Uvalde was. I knew it was a small west Texas town, in all the good ways that a town could be small, and in west Texas. When I heard where the shooting had taken place, I knew, heartbreakingly knew, that everyone in that town knew everyone who had been killed.

And as a parent, with a child about the age of the kids who were murdered, my soul is just wounded for the parent in Uvalde. I drop my kid off every morning. I hold her hand as we cross the street, and kiss the top of her head as she walks away from me to get in line for class. And I stand there watching her walk into school. And yes, the dark, evil, depressing thought does cross my mind that this might be the last time I see her.

I don’t have that thought because of Uvalde. I have had that thought since I first started dropping her off at school, over a year ago, because I live in America.

I could use logic to point out the odds of a school shooting, or the likelihood that my daughter would even be involved in one. I could use logic and be rational, and come up with a well-reasoned argument for or against gun control.

But I’m tired of that.

I’m tired of all of it.

I’m tired of nothing changing.

I wish I was a better writer, because a really good one summed up how I am feeling. Roxane Gay touched on how after these tragedies, there is a call for civility, but she is right; who is served by the people being civil in an uncivil situation?

This is what I think we should do; read their names. When you get in an argument over guns, take out your phone, find them, and then read their names. Don’t make this an abstract discussion, make it personal. Read the kid’s names and their ages.

No screaming, or yelling, but forcefully; read the kid’s names. Interrupt them if you have to, but keep reading the names.

Read the names.