Five who gathered at a local cafe for their morning beverages, time to be spent with friends who knew them well.
One who drove her Mercedes SUV in the city, like any other day.
One who drove his family through the Central District.
One, new to the city, who stood by the Space Needle, taking in all around her.
One whom everyone knew was a powderkeg, unstable, "off."
Five.
One.
One.
One.
All but one are dead today. The one that remains fights for life.
Did you wake up today thinking that you would be shot to death?
Did they?
Murder-suicide. Stray bullets finding their ways to the innocent.
How many of you have known someone who was killed by a gun?
Raise your hands, America, let's take a count. My hand is up.
Forty-nine states have laws allowing concealed carry guns.
Forty-nine.
It's far easier to obtain a firearm than it is to obtain ongoing, effective mental health services.
If you had x-ray eyes for just one day so you could see everyone who carries a gun where you and your family go everyday, by the criminals and the crazies and the guy who thinks he might get robbed someday or the woman who is jittery after an assault or the NRA-booster who feels like he's exercising his God-given Constitutional right to bear arms and just itches to be a hero someday...
...you would fall on your knees and weep.
Guns are made for killing living beings, and that's just what they do.
Where are the proud representatives of the NRA at the funerals of the 30,000+ people who die each and every year in the United States from gun violence?
Did you wake up today thinking that you would be shot to death?
Did they?
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman