feeling sluggish

 We aren't used to this "heavy" weather and I'm moving slowly. The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk helps nothing. Trouble ahead. I will push myself out and have some noodles in Japantown. Maybe Amy will join me. Or I could stay here and brood. 

America is a Gun

 This morning I have some time and I am feeling reflective. I can usually find a poem in the striped poetry box to match my mood. And I did.

America is a Gun

England is a cup of tea.

France, a wheel of ripened brie,

Greece, a short, squat olive tree.

America is a gun.

Brazil is football on the sand.

Argentina, Maradona’s hand.

Germany, an oompah band.

America is a gun.

Holland is a wooden shoe.

Hungary a goulash stew.

Australia, a kangaroo.

America is a gun.

Japan is a thermal spring.

Scotland is a highland fling.

Oh, better to be anything 

than America as a gun.

~ Brian Bilston

another lone gunman

 ...and another gun that should not be in the hands of civilians. I was glued to too much TV yesterday and it was really, really disturbing. And no, this was not Biden's fault.

more gun violence

 Thoughts are with the Blogmaid and family this morning and the usually sleepy little community of Half Moon Bay, aka Pumpkinville. Anger and a gun ~ terrible combination and so America-only. Sick of it.

turtle karma

 Uvalde, Texas and another massacre with assault rifles. Too awful. I shot these guys on the log earlier in the day before the news. Ginger and I went to Stern Grove and it was so beautiful and peaceful yesterday. Impressive speeches from Coach Steve Kerr and President Biden, but now it's time for gun laws. Now!

why we have insomnia

Kenosha, Wisconsin

how many more?

America is a Gun

England is a cup of tea.
France, a wheel of ripened brie.
Greece, a short, squat olive tree.
America is a gun.

Brazil is football on the sand.
Argentina, Maradona's hand.
Germany, an oompah band.
America is a gun.

Holland is a wood shoe.
Hungary, a goulash stew.
Australia, a kangaroo.
America is a gun.

Japan is a thermal spring.
Scotland is a highland fling.
Oh, better to be anything
than America as a gun.

~ Brian Bilston

what does democracy look like?

Hey hey, ho ho ~ the NRA has got to go. Well I see that the NRA labeled
the world wide marches as a "Carnival" and this will only drive more
people to denounce this domestic terrorist group. It was a great march
yesterday and I am thankful to Claire and the Blogmaid for picking
me up and walking down Market Street with me. It was another great
day in the streets. Proud to be an American because THIS is what
democracy looks like.

another Saturday, another march

I am watching morning television, we only do that during major
news events. Today is the March for our Lives and it looks like a
big turnout in Washington, DC.  I will be heading to Civic Center
later ~ grateful that the Blogmaid and Claire will pick me up and
off we will go to support those amazing students from Parkland, Fl.
The tide has turned, I really believe this. The NRA is a terrorist
organization and their only goal is to sell more guns.

the young will lead us

So impressed with Emma Gonzales and her fellow school shooting
survivors in Florida. They are calling out the NRA and planning a
huge "March for our Lives" on 3/24. Articulate, courageous and
willing to fight for meaningful gun control. From Florida, of all
the gun-loving states. This just might be the tipping point!

thoughts and prayers

We just keep sending our prayers to the victims and their families. SO
much easier than enacting meaningful gun restrictions. Somewhere
someone is planning another massacre right now and buying up all
sorts of Ruger AR-556 rifles so he can massacre a whole bunch of innocent
people and that's probably because he believes in the 2nd Amendment.
Call me discouraged, call me pissed off and sick of the bloodshed.
But let the NRA (a terrorist organization) do their dirty work in
the name of freedom.

HOW many more?

It wears us down. When can we have real gun legislation? Ever?
Here is one quote from the carnage in Las Vegas that gives me hope:

Caleb Keeter, the guitarist for the Josh Abbott Band, who performed Sunday at the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas, wrote that the tragedy had already changed his mind on the need for gun control. 

"I've been a proponent of the 2nd amendment my entire life. Until the events of last night," he said. "I cannot express how wrong I was."

Keeter wrote that the band and crew felt utterly powerless and terrified during the shooting, and that crew members who had concealed-carry permits couldn't use them for fear of being mistaken for the shooter.

wear orange today

We have been anti-guns forever, but this is the first year that I feel ANY
hope that people are paying attention and social media certainly helps
the cause. What a waste of lives, but now, at least, groups are keeping
track and publicizing the number of innocent people killed every single day
by gun accidents and violence.

it will happen...

...and in my lifetime. There will be effective gun control. The NRA
will be forced to give up their choke-hold on so many of our
lawmakers. It might happen city by city, state by state and then
finally, America will take action on a federal level. Who in God's
name needs assault rifles? How come the NRA gets to be in
charge of national security? I know in my heart that change is
coming - a new and strong feeling of outrage against gun
manufacturers and all the people who make money from guns
and ammunition. NYTimes tomorrow - a front page editorial, the
first since 1920. Gun regulation now.

it's orange out today

I am wearing orange, are you? The NRA folk are probably dressed in black,
they certainly should be considering all the harm that guns do in America.