13 Hours

I was confused at church yesterday morning when I heard there were prayers for El Paso and Dayton. Dayton? How did I miss Dayton?

It wasn't hard to do, given the timing and the (apparently magical) thinking that there just couldn't be two mass shootings in less than 24 hours. But of course, there were.

Even though we're getting hardened to random violence, I hope that having two mass shootings in 13 hours will make even the most resigned and cynical among us cry "Enough!"

The resigned and cynical may say they thought Virginia Tech (33) would be enough. Or Newtown (26) and Parkland (17), because of the children. Or Pittsburgh (11) and Sutherland Springs (26), because they occurred in houses of worship. Or Las Vegas (58), because of the sheer number.

Am I alone in worrying that we are forgetting these? There were 12 killed in my state just two months ago, and that massacre barely registers. It has already taken its place in line behind El Paso and Dayton.

And still, we dither. At this point, should we not be trying any sane and fair solution, knowing it will take many solutions ... and many years.

This time, can't we finally, truly begin?

(Photo of Las Vegas, courtesy of Wikipedia)