[Expletive]

I wrote this after the Boston Bombing and it becomes relevant again far too often.

I blog.  A lot.  We know this.

I have been blogging… letting the scheduled posts post as the terrible news and tragedies continue raining down on the American people.  We put together the new couch: I clean the bathtub and reorganize storage and do the dishes… and the police are having a firefight… and 2 young brothers are bombing a city and going on a violent crime spree once they realize that their identities have been released.

I’m imagining the plot of my next “wouldn’t this make a great TV show?” and it is a post-apocalyptic world where we have reverted to tribal-esque violence and our population has dwindled to small, renegade groups of armed whoevers throwing bombs at each other and staking claims to abandoned buildings while the last peaceful group resides in an old-folks home and strictly forbids sharp objects and weaponry in favor of Prozac and Xanex, drowning the last of their humanity in numbing drugs that mollify the masses few.  

Except this television plot isn’t born from a weird dream or the fantastical tangents my brain makes, but the terrible reality of violence in this very real world and it would be really nice if the Wicked Witch and the Boogeyman and Ursula the Sea Witch would come back because these new Black Hats, which seem to lack the courtesy of wearing those fracking hats, are instead our neighbors and the guy at the coffee shop with an explosive vest under his apron.  In this real reality I don’t have  Superman’s X-Ray vision or Buffy’s prophetic dreams; I can’t tell if this man sitting on the bus with me is that 1 in a million who wants to blow up this bus.  The villains pop up like a game of Whack-a-Mole and FRACK, I didn’t even insert my token!  I didn’t want to play this game!

Where’s the Mr. Roger’s quote because dammit.  Sendoutgoodenergy.  Pray.  

I listen to the radio with my jaw literally dropped and no, sir-in-the-car-next-to-me, I am not making that face at you.  I’m sorry, it’s just that the sky is falling!  the sky is falling! and all I can do is make this stupid face because 8-year-olds and young ladies and police officers are dying senselessly and I’m driving to work like it’s a normal day because APPARENTLY THIS CRAP IS A NORMAL DAY NOW.  

Why?  Why bomb the Boston Marathon?  Why run from the police when your time is obviously limited?  Why not just turn yourself in and give your motive… after all, won’t your message then get out?  Why MORE VIOLENCE?  Why shooting children?  Why explosions killing and injuring in Boston and Texas?  

WHAT.THE.FRAK?!  Why create a fake twitter for the suspect?  Why hinder the police investigation?  Why post images of a 17 year old kid in a backpack all over the internet and your newspaper and imply that he is a terrorist?  I mean, 17 year old kids wear backpacks often.  

THIS ISN’T A SHOW; don’t mislead the audience so you can create a surprising plot twist.  THIS IS REAL LIFE.  

this is real life and people are dying for no good reason.

THIS IS AMERICA, not Syria, not North Korea, not China.  This is the land of the free and the home of the brave and President WashingtonLincolnRooseveltTrumanKennedyClintonBushObama is the leader of the free world and we are the free world!  We voted and paid our taxes and made the sign of the cross and locked our doors and created a strong password and didn’t talk to strangers and…

the rocket’s red glare
the bombs bursting in air
gave proof, through the night,
that our flag was still there…

and to the republic
for which it stands
one nation
under God
with liberty and JUSTICE FOR ALL.

Forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil

I said to my soul, be still.