San Bernardino

"As we await the facts from the chaos on the ground, I can only pray that America's leaders will do something — anything — that prevents more communities from knowing this sorrow." Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy

My friends who are still here...forget religion, forget politics, forget nationality, forget fear.

Can we all admit that maybe, just maybe something is seriously wrong? Instead of jumping on your chosen bandwagons and serving up the same old tired old arguments and blame, can someone...anyone come up with a way that's workable to stop the madness?

Can we please forget about arming or disarming everyone, banning, deporting, nuking, killing and all the other lunacy? How about we come up with something new? Do we have it in us to act like grownups, stop shouting and calling each other names just one time and actually solve a problem?

Because there is a problem...no matter what or who you believe, there's no denying we're killing ourselves. Yes, us. In record numbers of every color, every background and in every place we go from work to play, we're dying.

And we seem willing to accept it. We're getting used to it because it happens so much. Because nobody will give an inch of their sacred ground to make it better. It's all or nothing, us or them, no compromise, no discussion, no change. Blame someone and keep on keeping on.

Just bury our dead and grieve, wring our hands in fear, roar righteous indignation and do nothing to solve anything. Our leaders don't lead except in another funeral prayer that changes nothing and we post slacktivist junk that changes even less.

To be honest, I'm more frightened of what we're becoming than of anyone with a gun. We've given up who we are because we can't seem to be anything but little, tiny pieces of America. We forgot where we came from. And that's a sad thing.

For now, all I can do is keep blocking mindless hate from my wall and continue going out without fear of the people-who-are-not-like-me . I won't be sporting a gun out there but I really don't care if you do or don't either. I know that I'm far more likely to be killed on the road by some wonderful wife or husband on their way to work with a cell and a coffee in their hand anyway. But knowing that doesn't stop me from going and it doesn't make me hate everyone that drives. It doesn't make me afraid. I refuse to be afraid.

So rather than posting another idiotic meme or facts that you haven't checked or quotes that aren't real, think a minute...take a peek outside your itty-bitty America and try asking, "What can we realistically do that we all can do?" Think of 'E pluribus unum' for a while instead of prepping. Go out in the world with the rest of us and live in it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you cannot change the world from Facebook and I won't join your hate there or anywhere else. If any of it means anything to you; fear less; hate not at all; do more; do better.