the ugly side of thoughts & prayers

as of august 28 there have been upwards of 146 incidents of gun violence at schools in 2025. that's a staggering number. and it's staggering that we've added some significant incidents to it today (this is being published the evening of September 10). this afternoon 3 kids were seriously injured at a high school in denver. taking out june and july (summer break) and the weekends (no school) that's 137 days of school with upwards of 150 incidents (yes - that number is a bit fuzzy).

the response is always thoughts and prayers. thoughts and prayers. "it's all we can do after all". "it's too soon to talk about politics." "it's not the guns." this is all a load of bullshit though. you know it. i know it. they know it as they say it.

don't believe? hop over to some dark space like twitter and witness those same "it's too soon" folks politicizing the hell out of a shooting they don't even have any details about (that happened around the same time as the tragic denver incident).

i could say "it's too soon." or "thoughts and prayers is all we have." to those people but we know they wouldn't listen or care. thoughts and prayers to them is simply an excuse for inaction and avoiding difficult topics like gun control. when it's politically expedient they'll throw that all out the window in favor of fomenting further violence by actively making villains out of the weakest most marginalized peoples (and those that stand with them). if you are on the right don't give in. violence is not redemptive in any form. it has a price. it takes it from your soul or spirit or being.

take that energy though and funnel it into something useful like advocating for sensible gun control that protects our schools. i have two kids in school and they've been lucky to only experience simulated lockdowns; i shudder to think of them having to go through what the kids at Evergreen did.

another good route for that energy is holding those in power accountable for the violence they are fomenting. every time a leader demonizes, dehumanizes or others someone they are creating cause for their ardent followers. hold them accountable for that.

may we be people of peace and love that always seeks to prioritize the least among us.