What Now?

A few months back, my wife and I took our kids to Disneyland. Overall, the trip was a success, with one notable exception. The most difficult part of our trip actually wasn't even in California. No, it was trying to reserve a hotel room online. 

We tried Travelocity, Priceline, Kayak, and the website of every major hotel chain we could think of. Denied. With extreme prejudice. Why? We have four kids, that's why. Yes, four. The vast majority of hotels do not allow families of six to book a hotel room online. Obviously, we were able to get it done. By phone. 

I realize this is not the most fascinating story. I apologize. But, it does relate to the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado. I'll get to that in a minute.

These past few days, I've been involved in Facebook discussions with a cousin in the Seattle area and a friend in Arizona. Like me, and so many others, they're upset with the Aurora shooting. We were asking, what do we do now? Again, like so many others.

Once I started asking that question, I did a little online digging based on curiosity. Where do I, and everyone else, find out how we can help? I figured there must be some organization that counters the NRA. I didn't know of one offhand, but I don't know a lot of things, so I searched. I Googled anti-gun organizations. The first three links were articles written by gun activists listing anti-gun celebrities. I'm not kidding. I couldn't find a seemingly strong gun control group among the first page of links.* That explains the silence.

What happens when there's a natural disaster anywhere in the world? Aid is sent ASAP. The Red Cross is mobilized. The National Guard is sent out. Camera crews are there faster than anyone else. Celebrities hold telethons and special concerts. An eight hundred phone number is set up, donations are requested and sent. En masse. If it's a foreign country, the nearest naval ships are sent with food, water, medical supplies, etc. You know the drill.

So, where's the drill for Aurora?

Ever notice anytime a gunman is involved in an American tragedy none of those same emergency responses are activated? Is it because there's actually someone to blame? Is it because the tragedy was caused by humans instead of Mother Nature? What is it? Granted, a hurricane or something similar causes far more structural damage than a lone gunman, but that is beside the point.

Aide is needed. It may not be rebuilding actual structures, but that doesn't demean its importance. Feelings of trust and security need to be rebuilt. Families can be broken and damaged just as if they were made of brick and wood and stone. They need to be rebuilt too. There are ways to accomplish that. But, someone has to step up and make the first move. And we all know it.

I'm beginning to wonder if we're so charitable at other times because we know that Mother Nature is random. We can't predict her or stop her. No one can reliably foresee a tsunami or hurricane or tornado or earthquake or flash flood or a lightning strike that causes a massive forest fire. We realize that and we sympathize when it happens, because we know it could be us. But, what happened in Aurora could also happen to us. That's a far more sobering and disturbing thought.

The more we learn about the people inside that movie theatre, the more we see ourselves, I think. At least three of the victims were men trying to save their girlfriends. All three succeeded. All three were killed. All three were several years from their thirtieth birthdays. How many of us, man or woman, would do the same? I'd like to think most of us would. A man was killed on his twenty-seventh birthday, and just shy of his one year wedding anniversary. How many of us go to the movies for our birthdays? How many of us have loved ones we would die to protect? How may of us attend the premiere of a highly anticipated movie? That could have been us. And that's a scary thought.

A six-year-old girl was killed. Which brings us back to the blame game I mentioned earlier. I've already heard people blaming the girl's mother. I questioned her myself. What's a six-year-old girl doing at any showing of that movie? The truth is, it's none of my business. Or anyone else's. The girl is dead. Her mother is critically wounded. And yet, some people insist on blaming that mother, as if she could have seen this coming. Are we any different than her?

We've all made parenting errors. How many of our kids heard and used their first swear words after listening to us? How many of us have forgotten to actually buckle in our baby after placing her into the car seat? How many of us have made similar errors in judgment that could have been disastrous? How many of us have paid as heavy a price as this mom? Let's move on.

I saw on Facebook a picture and blurb of a Florida man in his seventies who recently stopped a bank robbery because he was carrying a licensed pistol. The point being if a few of the patrons in the movie theatre had their own guns they could've taken out the gunman before he caused as many deaths and injuries as he did. I have several problems with this line of thinking.

First, the shooter was covered in armor from head to toe. Any bullet fired at him would have had no effect. On him anyway. The gunman naturally would've taken swift and deadly response to anyone shooting at him, and quite possibly any bystanders next to him.

Second, blaming anyone for going to the movies unarmed just seems perverse to me. I wonder if I should bring my Glock to Batman. Just in case. Who thinks that? If I ever do, I'm moving to a new location shortly thereafter. I don't live in Kabul for that reason. Many reasons, actually.

Lastly, maybe no one had a gun with them that night because most people don't like the idea of it. I know I don't. The old west is gone. Most of us don't carry guns with us for a reason. We don't want to. Ever notice in Western movies and television shows that no one smiles? Maybe that was one reason why. That and wooden toilet seats. I don't think wearing a gun makes you any safer. Just like having a calculator doesn't make you any smarter.

Why do we do this? Why do we look to blame instead of to solve? Why is it so difficult for a family of six to book a hotel room online, but so easy for one man to purchase guns, ammo, and body armor? Why don't our politicians bring up their ideas and thoughts on gun control until they're asked on national television or immediately after a tragedy? The answer to those questions are simple. Because we allow it.

Whenever there's a large enough outcry over anything, something happens. Politicians need voters. Without voters, there's no money and no power, and that simply won't do. The truth is, if we want things to change, we need to step up. We need to stop blaming and start solving.

We need to brainstorm. We need to talk. We need to try new ideas. Then try again. Then try some more. Try. Try. Try.

We need to ask our elected leaders their thoughts on gun control. We need to ask why there isn't a system to track online sales of assault weapons, ammunition, and body armor. Think about it. What rational reason is there for anyone to buy what the Aurora gunman used that night?

Look how quickly and massively things have changed at our airports. Yeah, it's a pain in the ass. A girl can feel like she's lost her virginity to a TSA agent. Hell, so can a guy. But, they're both more likely to get to their destination safely. We all are. No one enjoys taking off their shoes at the airport, or buying hair gel and sunscreen in three ounce clear containers. But, we do it. Annoying or not, you have to admit, it seems to be working.

Steps can be made to make buying automatic weapons online visible to the proper authorities. What would've happened if an FBI agent in Denver was notified that some graduate student dropout had been buying automatic weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition? Everything used that night were bought over a period of at least four months. What if one of those purchases had raised the eyebrows of any law enforcement officer? Think what else would have been discovered. Think what might have been avoided. Then try not to scream in frustration.

Things can get done. If we demand it. Again. And again. And again. It's up to us. Whether it should be or not, doesn't matter. That's the way it is. Politicians have annoyed us since ancient Rome. Let's return the favor. Let's get organized. Let's get mobilized. Let's get LOUD.

Let's. Get. Busy.


*I tried the same Google search last night. This time there was a link to the "Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence" petition being sent to President Obama and Governor Romney. I signed it and encourage others to do the same. It's a start. Here's the link: http://www.bradycampaign.org/