Friday, October 14: NC Mass Shooting
In this country it's never a matter of "if", but "when" tragedy will strike close
Just another Thursday in this broken country. At this stage of America’s endless epidemic of gun violence, in a place where school children frequently participate in “mass casualty” simulations, such horrific instances are no longer all that surprising. On the contrary, we scroll past these headlines or allow mass shootings to become old news without changing any of our circumstances. I challenge any brave defender of American exceptionalism to explain how children rehearsing for school shootings is anything other than a clear sign of an exceptionally broken society.
Yesterday a 15-year old (white) boy stalked innocent civilians with a powerful weapon of war, eventually killing five people. The shooting took place near Knightdale, a sleepy little town, a suburb’s suburb honestly, but now another quiet suburban neighborhood will be forced to reckon with the incomprehensible. Yesterday’s shooting was the deadliest of 17 shootings in North Carolina so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
“Tonight, terror has reached our doorstep. The nightmare of every community has come to Raleigh. This is a senseless, horrific and infuriating act of violence.”
-Gov. Roy Cooper (definitely won’t be doing anything to change current realities)
The fact that the shooter was a minor should speak to how far we’ve dropped as a society. Allowing a child access to these weapons and leaving feelings of sadness or frustration or desperation or “mental illness” untreated drove them to this crime. The sad part is when it happens close to home, but the saddest part is knowing it will happen again soon, somewhere else, and most of us will forget all about it.
Side Items
Pelosi to the Rescue: In a newly-released video quite literally filmed by her daughter, Pelosi is seen directing traffic on that fateful January 6th last year. The video was submitted into evidence for the ongoing/never-ending Trump January 6th trial. The video really captures the essence of Pelosi’s energy that day; 80% Karen watching Black people enjoy themselves, 20% Kris Jenner-Momager mode. See for yourself and tell me I’m wrong
Nationwide Shortage of Adderall: The FDA has declared a nationwide shortage of Adderall, the popular medication used to treat A.D.H.D. which has had surging demand in recent years. Part of that surge is teenagers and young adults abusing the amphetamine, but on the bright side, Adderall is apparently manufactured in Israel, so technically this is a chance to boycott another Israeli product
Speaking of Israel: As the siege of Nablus continues, Israeli forces elsewhere have shot and killed two Palestinian men, including a physician, during a raid on the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been cut off from traveling or crossing Israeli checkpoints as the violence shows no sign of slowing down