American Dream Plan B

terrible shooting massacre at country concert in Vegas
terrible shooting massacre at country concert in Vegas

The first days of October 2017 brought heartbreak and Hurt. Another senseless mass shooting and the death of an American rock icon. What was astonishing to me was that I was more upset over the death of Tom Petty than I was the shooting.

Don't get me wrong. My heart goes out to the families of the victims. But the shooting itself wasn't shocking. It's happened before, not just once, but many, many times. Another Mystery Man decides to do Something Big and becomes The Criminal Kind. The usual platitudes of "thoughts and prayers" are made by our leaders to console us but You Don't Know How It Feels. The usual cries for more gun control go out again, only to provoke another distracting argument between factions that goes nowhere and we Breakdown again. The Waiting for action continues and the sentiments Won't Last Long.

I Need to Know the answers but I don't. You Tell Me. Guns will always be a part of American culture. No laws can be passed that would keep guns from the hands of Shadow People who have No Second Thoughts in causing harm. Perhaps we should obsess less about our guns and just consider them tools instead of Makin' Some Noise about our need to be Rebels. When it comes to owning guns, some feel Too Much Ain't Enough. Maybe a Change Of Heart is needed. Let's concentrate on making the guns we have safer. Mandatory classes on gun safety including training as to what to do or not to do if your home is invaded or you see a possible crime. All guns should come with some kind of tamper-proof lock as standard equipment.

We can start profiling "strange" or "weird" people but who defines them and what do we do with them? Put them in a sort of Zombie Zoo? Maybe we would Feel A Whole Lot Better but it's The Wrong Thing To Do. I really don't Scare Easy, but at times I just want to go to my House In The Woods, Change The Locks, put up some Walls, and become a Forgotten Man. I'll yell from the doorway to others: "Don't Come Around Here No More!" Or maybe we could be like the Two Gunslingers who tell each other, "I Don't Wanna Fight" or "No More." Perhaps more awareness of mental health issues would Make It Better; it's either that or we head Straight Into Darkness. When A Kid Goes Bad he becomes one of the Lost Children, even a Refugee. Giving parents more resources to guide their children and keep them from making bad choices would be a major investment in the future. It is never wrong to be Accused Of Love. Perhaps We Stand A Chance if we can help someone not become A Wasted Life. Even The "Losers" deserve Saving Grace.

I can't help but feel, though, that we will be Fooled Again. Money Becomes King in Washington and any legislation that hurts the interests of the powerful won't be Built To Last. We will be told it's Time To Move On, that mass shootings are the price we pay for freedom from tyranny. We will forget this shooting just as we forgot all the others. Then we are back to Square One. Again. I can't help but think: I'm Alright For Now, but what about the next concert or sporting event I attend? What if one of my friends or family is hurt in the next shooting? Beyond a Shadow Of A Doubt, another mass shooting will occur somewhere again. When it does, I hope we Won't Back Down.

Rest in peace, Thomas Earl Petty, Free Fallin' into the Beautiful Blue. Your songs helped make a Beautiful World. You kept me Running Down The Dream.

-- Devin Houston is the president/CEO of Houston Enzymes. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 10/11/2017