BUT DOES IT REALLY?

  What really? What but? What 'it'? In these days of constant onrushing, often overwhelming breaking news, how do we distinguish between them, choose from among them what truly matters? What is long-lasting and what is ephemeral, transient? The real from the fake? The need to know from the not? How, in fact, are we to order our lives when we are given practically no time to think, to mull, to consider, to weigh and evaluate? Bombarded by onrushing events, how can we figure out what to do, face and accept the often harsh, disappointing, soul devastating truths and respond accordingly? 

So, yes, it -whatever 'it' is at the moment matters. A great deal. Decisions about what needs to be done will have consequences down through the years, even as prior 'its' affect our times. We need to examine some of those 'it' topics, understand deep within our very being that our reactions to the 'it', the many of them, will determine much of the rest of our lives and lives to come. Hence, the need to  think forward, to understand consequences and the permanence of them.

It is said that nothing happens in a vacuum; so wrong, for things do happen in a vacuum, generally not such good things! When there is a growing vacuum of intelligent leaders, when there is a growing vacuum of morality, of compassion, of recognition of the humanity of all - there is trouble, manifestly, overwhelmingly so. Unfortunately, such has been the atmosphere of the USA for too many years.

We have grown apart. We have shredded our flag as a symbol of US, of togetherness, of 'Americaness', have allowed MAGA to expropriate it for themselves. We have lost our way and the day we set aside to celebrate our country's independence, has turned out to be the day which highlighted all the 'buts', all the its, all that matters in the short and long run of it all.

 How far we have strayed off the path of sanity. 7 dead, 26 wounded, lives shattered for all time, and here is the oh so profound, oh so caring response from a GOP candidate for office.

“The shooter is still at large so let’s pray for justice to prevail, and then let’s move on and let’s celebrate the independence of this nation.”

So let us indeed, "move on", all the while ignoring the streams and rivers and pooling of blood, united together in death as they could not be in life.

What matters here? Is it the fact that a weird looking dude could have the intelligence to plan, down to the last detail, how to get away unnoticed, to buy, amass numbers of weapons, get on a roof and shoot a high powered rifle, some 70 shots? Oh, we can blame security, of course, but that is the wrong conclusion. The truth is, the 'mattering' of it, is that gun proliferation is out of control. When a Supreme Court Justice can say and later, years later, days ago, get his way, it matters. 

"The ordinance criminalizes modern sporting rifles (e.g., AR-style semi automatic rifles), which many Americans own for lawful purposes like self-defense, hunting, and target shooting," the dissent said. 

Thomas deemed the city's ban "highly suspect because it broadly prohibits common semiautomatic firearms used for lawful purposes."

 As for us, we are to grin and bear it, and "move on", insisting that there are legitimate reasons for such weapons to be in the hands of civilians, of crooks, and madmen. The right to own a killing weapon over the right of people to live lives out, without getting shot, murdered, in everyday life?  You weigh it on your scale. Imagine your family having been there, on that street, perhaps the little one getting adorably ice creamed faced and then.... No more then to follow, or a very different 'then'. But take comfort that you, your kid fought to the death for the right to be shot down dead! Validating an "American" right. So warm. So comforting!

“Any traumatic event has consequences and changes someone.”

Said about a character in a popular TV show, how much more truth is there in real life? What are we doing to each other? Why are we cooperating, allowing, for the growth of a most dangerous vacuum? Where has respect for others gone? When the right of another to own a killing weapon trumps your right to live? When a hard fought right to vote, is being shredded by hatred infused people who refuse to recognize the equality and humanity of all, the value of an individual. All leading to a political and moral vacuum from whence only evil can emerge. So proud we should be over such an achievement!! Such a hard fought war!

Just a few more "it" items.

Jews in Russia are developing fear of a new Iron Curtain locking them in again, as the Jewish Agency, which helps immigration to Israel, is shuttered by Putin. 

Jews in Canada afraid for their lives as a shopping area of Jewish stores is invaded, store owners  threatened by BDS, for they are coming for them.

When the shooting takes place in a definable, recognizable Jewish area.

When a principal in a NYC school, "gains control" of the school and fires teachers for being white, the wrong color.

When the Justice Department has to sue states over their infringement on the voting rights of minorities, in fact anyone who disagrees with them.

When a rogue Supreme Court and six Justices forget their role and act in a  severe partisan manner, are systematically destroying the very fabric, the very soul of this country. 

When women are reclassified as second class citizens, denied the right to make their own health decisions and lest one think a hospital will save endangered lives, think again. The growing health centers are Catholic,  unknown to many, where the value of a woman's life is very low on a most definitely skewed value scale. Ectopic pregnancy? Nope, go away, smells too much like an abortion!

When Brittney Griner writes a pleading letter to Biden to save her, when her words echo within, for in a way we are all with her, held prisoner by evil, yes, evil people. And why the hell has she not been freed yet!!! She is being callously used as  a political pawn by Putin and he needs a free her or else ultimatum and NOW!

Many 'it' issues. Many things that do matter.

How do we manage? How do we prioritize?

Way above my pay grade, though I do try to do my best in my pay grade level. That is all we can ask of each other and of ourselves. Together is the answer.