I’m so sad and angry. The long term stats often only talk about the death count and don’t mention all of the people who were injured (often in severe life altering ways) or witnesses. I saw a social media video where some guys were trying to name a type of place in the US where there hasn’t been a shooting and every place they named and then googled already had a shooting. School, malls, movie theaters, churches, marathons, libraries, concerts, sports games at a public park, playgrounds, amusement parks, fairs, etc. They got more specific in their guesses and were still stumped. Most had mass shootings. Super Bowl parade may have been one that didn’t qualify at the time. If we can’t go to any of these places without fearing being shot, how free are we?
In the 90s there were a lot of news stories about terrorism related car bombings overseas and I remember thinking how awful it would be to live in a city like that where you were constantly in fear of a bombing, but that is essentially the US now (and statistically probably worse).
Similarly I remember watching footage of war in the Middle East and thinking how awful it would be to grow up in a place with bombed out buildings and in fear of something as simple as crossing the street and a bomb going off or being shot at by terrorist groups. We are no different now, we are just shinier. Our buildings and houses aren’t falling apart from war but we have to live in fear that we could be murdered just for going to the grocery store.
Sometimes I walk across campus with students hustling from class to class and think to myself, today could be the day it happens here. It feels like it’s just a matter of time and it is such a dark, scary feeling. I hate that both of my sons are second guessing having children because they don’t want to bring them into this horrible world we live in.
Post by JayhawkGirl on Feb 15, 2024 23:17:53 GMT -5
PDQ We went to the parade then watched the rally from the nearby hotel we stayed at the night before.we seriously considered walking to the rally but stuck w our plan to watch it in the hotel lobby. The first 20 or so minutes just trying to figure out what was going on, if we needed to get off the ground floor of the hotel, and was DS(14)’s friend who was there okay were beyond surreal. DS was calm and helped me comfort terrified DD(10), who learned shootings happen for the first time yesterday and she couldn’t comprehend it. She kept asking me why everyone didn’t go inside to get to safety. Her ten year old mind can’t grasp that there was nowhere to go. We were afraid to go outside at first, and then stayed off the roads for responders to move easily. Friends at home were texting me updates since I took the kids away from the tv feed. Meanwhile our car battery died so once it was somewhat stable outdoors he met roadside in the parking garage. I think we were in the lobby for two hours before we felt safe to get the jumpstart and leave. When we finally got home DS played basketball outside for a bit then went for a bike ride and went to play at his first elementary school playground. He got home and said he can’t wrap his head around it. At bedtime he said he is sad about all of it. His friend, the victims, the police, everything. I watched my son limbo between young adult and child yesterday hour by hour. DD came home and got her crafts out. She was very quiet and I laid with her a long time after she fell asleep.
I tried to focus on the happy part of the day on the drive in w dd this morning - both kids got high fives from Mahomes and were so excited - and then we pulled in to the flag at half staff and I just barely held it together until she got out of the car. Pulled it together, got to the car shop for a new battery and burst into tears again. I think I cried at least ten different times today.
Late this evening I learned I may know one of the injured adults. Awaiting confirmation.
Kansas City is a giant small town and it has never felt as true as the last 48 hours.
JayhawkGirl I'm so sorry you guys were close and the kids are so shaken.
This feels like the longest most surreal week in Kansas City.
It really does. DS got to talk more to his friend today. I just want to lay with him all night like when he was a never sleeping baby and shield him from all of it. But I can’t. So I listen. And help him process what he helped his friend process. Adrenaline is powerful.