Monday Morning Musings

Today we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Some people don't think any more of the day other than the fact that it is a holiday and a day off work. Other people are irritated that there is yet another holiday to inconvenience them by closing banks, the postal service, and other government offices. Thank goodness, there are many more who recognize the importance of what he did and the need to celebrate and honor that.

And thank goodness that we teach our children and grandchildren the legacy that King left us. Here in my small town there is an annual celebration that draws close to two hundred people, which is good since the population is just over 3,000. The majority of those people are African-American, but more and more people of other colors and cultures show up each year. There are, of course, the obligatory speeches by city and church leaders, but there is also a wide variety of entertainment, singing and dancing and dramatic readings of some of King's most memorable speeches. It is always a good reminder of what Dr. King stood for.

I was proud to be active in the Civil Rights Movement, and we have made strides in acceptance and equality since the early 60s, yet prejudice and bigotry still impact our society way too much. Dr. King's mission will not be complete until that no longer happens.

Dr. King left quite a list of inspirational quotes, and this is one of my favorites, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

Wonderful words, but only wonderful if we take them to heart and act on them.

On the opposite side of the "love/peace" coin is the increasing danger students face when they go to school. According to a report in The Beast by Brandy Zadrozny, there have been 24 school shootings since the Newtown tragedy two years ago, the most recent in Philadelphia. While this latest one appears not to be the same as incidents of anger-motivated mass shootings, it still causes great concern. In a more recent article in The Guardian Liberty Voice,  giving more details about the shooting at Delaware Valley Charter High School  Michele Wessel questions how a young man was able to get a weapon into the school that was equipped with metal detectors. 

Good question, but perhaps a better one - how did the kid manage to leave home with a gun?

On another note, as we look ahead to February and Valentine's Day, Untreed Reads is having a special sale on romance novels - 30% off - from now through February 14th. I'm happy that my romance, Play it Again, Sam will be included in that sale along with other romance titles published by Uncial Press. They publish everything from sweet romance to hot, hot, hot, so there is something for everyone's taste in a love story. Visit the Untreed Reads Store to see all the titles in the sale.

School Shootings

It's hard to let the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut last Friday pass without a comment. I know there are no words that can take away the awful pain of loss so many are experiencing, so all I can offer is my support and prayers that the families and friends of those who lost their lives will have the strength to weather the storms of grief.

Let the Memories Burn Bright

I thought President Obama did a fine job in his speech last night at the memorial, and I am glad that he let the people know that the nation is mourning with them. I did cringe just a little bit, however, when he said that we as a government will do all we can to ensure that this does not happen again.

Those are nice words, but hardly ones we can live up to. The government has no control over whatever it is that motivates someone to pick up a gun and go on a shooting spree.

It is true that we need better care for those with mental health issues. Most of the time we find out, after the fact, that a person who commits such atrocities does suffer from mental and/or emotional health problems. But that certainly does not mean that every person who has a cognitive disease is prone to this kind of violence.

Then there's the issue of gun control. Already there are groups of people calling for stricter gun laws, and with enough emotion pushing that cause, the right to own a gun might be seriously curtailed. Will that help? Probably not. If someone is intent on using a gun to kill people, he or she will be able to get a gun, whether legal or not, and if a gun is not available, other weapons will be used. There have been attacks on elementary school children in China by men wielding swords and large knives. The most recent on the same day as the Sandy Hook school shooting.

When I did the research for my book on gun violence in schools, I found that the factors that contribute to violent behaviors are many, so there isn't going to be one simple solution to make students safe. One thing that we can do as a society, however, is to take a stand against media and entertainment that glorifies violence and makes it appear harmless.

It is anything but harmless. A professor of criminology that I interviewed for my book twenty years ago said, "How many times can we watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre without it giving us a subconscious message that killing and maiming people is okay?"

He also said that once we as a society had no lines that we would not cross, we would be a society out of control.

Think about it. Where are the boundaries today?

On Another Note: I want to remind you to come back on Wednesday to welcome Nell Carson. Do you know how hard it is to get a building designated as historically significant? She will share what she learned in her research for her book, The Gingerbread House

And Yet One More Note: Today is the last day to get your Holiday gift, The Last Dollar,  which celebrates the magic of giving. Thanks to all who have already downloaded the book, it is now #24 on the short story best-seller list.

Friday's Odds and Ends

It might seem a bit odd to be doing this in the dead of winter, but I have been digging in my garden the last few days, turning a few rows a day. I remember when I used to be able to turn the whole plot in an afternoon. That young person is hidden somewhere under these older muscles that don't care for that kind of work anymore. Here in Texas we plant our first garden the end of January.

Republicans made history Thursday by staging the first-ever reading of the entire Constitution on the House floor as the legislative session began. While that was a noble gesture, I hope those serving in Congress will pay more than lip-service to the document.

Again, I marvel at the short sightedness of government leaders. Obama recently enacted a freeze on the salaries of government employees, starting with the ones at the bottom of the ladder. How about cutting salaries from the top down for a change? Did you know that the man who runs the U.S. Chamber of Commerce earns close to $3.9 million a year?

I am saddened and dismayed at news of the school shooting in Nebraska. We lived in Omaha for almost ten years and know families who had children at Millard South High School. Thankfully, those students have already graduated, so they were not personally affected by this tragedy, but my heart goes out to current students and staff who are dealing with all the ramifications. Back in 1993 I wrote a book about school violence, Coping with Weapons and Violence In Your School and On Your Streets, and I remember hoping that the violence young people deal with would lessen as time went on. This was before Columbine and other school shootings, and I am sad to say my wish did not come true.

To end on a brighter note. I read back in November about a couple who "gave the ultimate gift." Their 13-year old daughter, Taylor was killed in a skiing accident and her parents donated her organs, a gift that saved five lives. The parents then created a Web site for potential organ donors to sign up.  If you have ever thought about being an organ donor but just haven't gotten around to doing it, visit that site. The process for signing up is quick and easy and just may save a life.