The Cancer of Columbine

Teri Carter's Library

Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas. Credit KTRK-TV

There they were in the Breaking News live-shot, terrified American teenagers lined up like criminals on the sprawling green lawn of their high school, following the commands of law enforcement by emptying the contents of their backpacks then doing the perp walk, single file, arms raised high, fingers spread wide, demonstrating their innocence.

Another school shooting. Santa Fe, Texas.

As a New York Times reporter wrote, this is what school looks like now. “Lockdown drills, active shooter drills. It’s a procedure they have learned, and what you are seeing is a kind of horrible field trip, a deadly exam. You send your kids to school, and one of the things they learn is how not to die.”

This summer I will go to my 35 year high school reunion, and it occurs to me that these are the things…

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The Others

Lessons in the Lyrics: Guns (Spice and Company)

Got a gun? You get none!

Carnival time! Bacchanal time! Wine up yuh waist to this classic soca hit. Ladies, forget about the gangstas, and stick with the man who knows the right kind of gun to use (and you better keep the safety on THAT one too, come to think about it!). Thank you, Spice and Company: knowledge is power AND fun!

Too many guns in dis town,

Too many guns passing round!

Too many guns in dis town,

Too many guns passing round!

Is every day you open de paper

All you read ‘bout is murder.

Man, this ting here is sad,

But de whole damn world goin mad!

This one have a gun, that one have a gun

Man they gon shoot each other for fun.

When the men kill the men all that remain is women.

It is then I gon have me fun,

It is then I gon draw me gun,

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The Serena Factor

When Your Child Won’t Play Sports

Sadly, I had the opposite attitude to my child’s first game. Much to work on. This post shows a positive way to approach the issue of a child refusing to participate in a (new) sport/activity.

Kate Raidt

In the summer of 2009 my daughter Conley joined the YMCA co-ed soccer league for 3-5 year-olds. One of Conley’s teammates was a boy named Hayden. Hayden’s mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunts and uncles all gathered every Saturday morning, decked out in burnt orange, to cheer Hayden on. But Hayden hated soccer. When he was chosen by the coach to join the game, Hayden clung to his mommy and screamed in terror. His foot didn’t touch the ball the entire summer season. Hayden’s family cheered mightily for the other teammates and never criticized Hayden for his lack of participation. Based on their enthusiasm, you would have thought Hayden was the star player of the team. He was far from it. I didn’t expect to see Hayden on a soccer field ever again.

The Fall season rolled around and Conley was on a different team. One crisp Saturday morning I happened…

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April 9th

This is just a test.

For the sake of linking around, try http://www.beachlime.com.

 

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