Uvalde - Everyone Seems to have a Piece of the Blame

 I don't want to come down too hard on the Uvalde police for several reasons. I do not know all the facts, and the police have really been taking it on the chin since all the defunding movements. Their morale must be at rock bottom and fear of doing the wrong thing is always looming. However, I'd seriously look at the training they're getting.

That being said, there is a reason for raised eyebrows.  Since when do police run from a fight?  Why didn't they try to get into the school through windows or other means instead of waiting for backup? Especially when children were involved? That's only one question that has popped into my mind.

Why were there so many conflicting stories from those who should have been in the know?

I can almost give the teachers a pass because they weren't expecting what happened and fear and adrenaline can confuse. However, relaxing procedures and blocking open a door when in a crisis might indicate the lack of instilling those procedures over and over until they become so habitual fear cannot overcome them.

Politicians were, as usual, over the top in politicizing the incident. The media was too quick to report without verifying information. Again, nothing new.

Man, there's a lot of blame to go around. I'm thinking it's time for an entire societal reset in this country.  From child safety to mental health issues in our kids - and adults for that matter - policing and first and foremost, intelligent leadership.  Less time spent on the right to use gender pronouns that aren't real and more time looking at why parents are not welcome in the classroom,  why questionable subjects can be underhandedly pursued, and why suddenly it's okay for biological men to compete in sports as women. Which they are not. Period.

Uvalde is an example of what happens when what's important is allowed to slide into apathy and complacency by those who should be monitoring it. I'd say it is a small example because it's a small town, but that's not true. It's huge. Twenty-one people are dead. Nineteen children. It's huge.

The Horror of Children Killing Children

Illustration by Golden Cosmos

 The least heard words regarding the unspeakable tragedy in Uvalde, Texas were "this is not the time for politics". It took about 32 seconds before the mass shooting turned political. First by the President, then again today by political wannabe, Beto O'Rourke.

The next words were finally mentioned but will be ignored. "There is a mental health crisis in our country."

To be sure. I have another question though. What turns an 18-year-old youngster into a mass murderer.  Yes, of course, they have mental problems, but why?

You see, I don't consider an 18-year-old an adult.  I know all the arguments as to why they are. I just don't happen to agree with most of them.  Obviously, some of them are far too impressionable to be able to make wise decisions. So who is failing them?

First and foremost, I have to look at the parents. How can they be so self-absorbed they cannot see the problems their children are having? Or are they just so ill-prepared they shouldn't have had kids in the first place?  I mean, what kind of a horrific argument could anyone have with their grandmother that would lead to shooting her in the face?

Then on to school officials? Interviews at crime scenes with kids to find out what a schoolmate was like should be coming from faculty who should be on the lookout for odd behaviors.  Our teachers did that way back in the dark ages when I was in school! We didn't have mass shootings back then either.

There are so many places to point fingers I can't even count them.  The least of which is more gun laws. Let's look at actually enforcing the ones we have. 

I'm not a big gun person. I have friends who have concealed carry permits and I must admit they make me uncomfortable.  I see the other side of it too and instances where those carrying have saved lives. We have open carry here.  That really makes me feel uncomfortable because I see it as more of an in-your-face action than one of safety. Funny, those laws are strictly enforced.

Back to the state of mind though.  It saddens and scares me that ballpark eighteen-year-olds are capable of such actions.  That they are so deranged at such a young age. And that they, in cold blood,  can take the lives of those so young they've barely gotten their foot in the door of life.

Let's stop the blame game for political ends.  Please. Please. The political season is upon us for the next several months. Let's not waste it with the vitriolic pettiness than is engulfing us. There must be some adults that are willing to come into the room.  Some younger than me, and smarter, but just as concerned and caring. Please. Please.

Attitude Adjustment - Well We Tried

 Okay, I'm going to say it.  Under the current leadership, this country has lost its way to the point I wonder if it will return to its former glory in my lifetime.

It's sad. Very sad. My emotions are shot. My back hurts and the meds are tearing up my innards.  Lovely.

Usually, a bit earlier than this, we typically go to Yellowstone to look for bears and wolves to photograph. This year, on the advice of a friend, we tried Teton NP instead. We struck out big time.  Other than Elk too far in the distance and Bison, of which I must have 10,000 photos, all we saw was a solitary coyote.

That's okay though. Just getting a change of scenery had great appeal. The Tetons were still iced with snow and were beautiful

However, getting away isn't what we expected.  Lodging rates are through the roof.  Of course, that is expected in Jackson.  What wasn't expected was a $500 tab for two nights at the Hampton Inn where we had to ask for clean towels and they didn't even make the bed, much less provide clean linens. Okay. It has been said that they can't get the help.  I don't buy it.  The entire town had construction projects of one type or another underway. The workers were mostly Hispanic, of some sort, because the conversations we could hear were all in Spanish. Not that hospitality workers have to be Hispanic, by any means, but we didn't see the women.  Certainly, some of the young men had wives.  Or did they? I will give them credit though.  They were working and I'm sure making a good wage.

Practically every business had a help wanted sign displayed.  It made sense since the summer season is just around the corner and for jobs requiring training, those businesses want to get started. 

Our respite from the real world was within the confines of the park, wildlife or not. It was peaceful. The air was fresh. The scenery was beautiful.

Home now, I spend a lot of time watching this year's owlets learn about life.  They've gotten huge and are finding out about wings. They are adorable and entertaining. I've become very fond of our backyard as I watch their Mom and Dad wait and watch every single day. 

With a weekend full of horrible shootings across the country, I'm beginning to think I don't need a change of scenery after all, especially if I have to do the housework anyway!

The Economics of Abortion

 It didn't take long for the politicians and media to politicize the leak of the draft of the Supreme Court opinion on whether or not the Mississippi law on abortion which asks if the right to an abortion is a Constitutional issue.

First, the outrage should be over the idea that someone on a Justice's staff had the insolence to leak anything.

Second, the rush to point accusatory fingers is purely subjective along ideological lines and should have been held back until more details of what the draft actually says are known.

All that being said, I will be the first to admit I have very mixed feelings over the abortion argument that will never be put to rest until there is a definitive truth as to just when life actually begins. I've heard the arguments from every angle you can imagine, but to date, they are no more than opinions.

I do have some very strong opinions, myself, on aspects after the fetus is proven viable. But there is a portion of this whole situation that is never discussed and needs to be. 

Who gets an abortion and why? The why's range from just not wanting a child to not wanting to bring forth a life conceived during a rape. Okay.  No argument there. Where do the economics come in?

If abortion was outlawed millions of children would be brought into the world. If the mothers did not want or were not able to keep these children and raise them and educate them what would become of them? Some would be adopted. Yes.  But by no means all.  More orphanages? Most likely. Is there a plan for that?  Is there funding? Consider what all that involves. Feeding, clothing, and education are not cheap. And what about those born with mental deficiencies?  Add another layer of expense. 

There is no easy answer, but this is an aspect of it I never, ever hear discussed.  

Abortion, the right to life, a woman's right to choose. Sloganeering at best. I don't envy the justices on the court having to deal with this issue, especially in today's political climate. I also don't envy them for having to deal with the firestorm this leak of an unrendered opinion has created. 

I hope whoever did the leaking is caught and faces severe consequences for breaking a trust. If this era of the powerful and their minions getting a pass for egregious actions without consequence continues, we'll have the entire contents of the Constitution relegated to the out stack of a disgruntled few. There will be consequences, however.  For all the rest of us and we'll have no court to sort it out.

Parenting In Today's World

 I have two passions that consume my time in these, my latter years.  One is writing my 'Slobbers' books. The second is keeping track of our yard's resident Great Horned Owls.

In the late winter, and early spring they make themselves known because they get very vocal during mating season. It has always been interesting to me that the male has a low-pitched hoot, which I would expect. The female, a somewhat higher pitch. Yet size wise, the male is smaller than the female. How they do court one another!

Getting to see them is difficult at best because of their nocturnal habits though at times they will spend a day in a leafless tree.  Some years they tolerate me with my ever-ready camera, other times they take off as soon as I appear. This year they have been a bit spooky until just lately. For the past several weeks the male has been perching on several snags, tree limbs, and even our pergola which is quite close to the house. If I'm careful, I get wonderful photos.

That aside, Dad is perching away from the nest because Mom is tending the eggs and now the hatchlings. I am over the moon that I located them this morning and will be keeping track of what looks to be three as they learn about life beyond the nest.

Now that they have hatched, Mom and Dad will take turns tending them so the other can rest. After the eggs are laid, Dad takes over the stockpiling of food at night while Mom guards the eggs. They both have tremendous responsibilities and they do what needs to be done to see that those responsibilities are carried out. From now until it's time to send the kids off on their own, which will be at summer's end, both parents will be hovering around their offspring, feeding them, teaching them to fly and to hunt. It's called parenting. It is wonderful to watch.

It's interesting to me that animals, be they birds or mammals, take on the challenge of what comes naturally to them, having kids and raising them.  They don't complain.  They don't run away from it. They just do what needs to be done.  It comes naturally to them.

It seems to me a lot of my fellow humans could take some parenting lessons from our 'less intelligent' neighbors.