I received not one, but two messages last night, asking why I hadn’t posted about what happened at the Chiefs SB parade yesterday??? The short answer is, I didn’t want to. If I posted about every single incident like this, whether at a school or concert or theater or nightclub or grocery store or church, this page would include nothing but those stories. There have been 49 mass sh00tings in the US in 2024 already. This doesn’t include the thousands of smaller events reported on in every city around the country, daily. Turn on your local news at any time of the day to see the stories.
So I guess my question back is, why is this incident any more significant than the dozens of others we see every single day? Because our favorite football players were there? The news actually reported that TSwift was safely aboard a flight to Australia and not in attendance at the parade. Phew. Thank god because I adore her, but that’s what we’re worried about? Are we only concerned about our favorite players and famous people? THAT is why you want me to post about it?
Listen friends, I was in middle school when Columbine happened, living in Colorado, 25 minutes from that school. I was here when this kind of thing catapulted into popularity. I live 15 minutes from the Aurora theatre and had friends inside both theatres that took bullets. I had shopped at the adjacent mall and walked over to see a new film with friends as a child, and went on dates there with my now-husband as an adult. The Boulder King Soopers was one frequented by several friends who live in the area. I’ve seen this, up close and personal since I was a kid. It’s shocking and horrific every time it happens, and it continues to happen.
I know it’s scary when famous people are involved because we feel like we know them. That doesn’t, however, make this incident any more significant than others like it. The lives lost belong to someone; their families and friends forever changed, regardless of if an all star QB was there when it happened. So I am not going to post on one event as though it is more important than all the others.
Further, continuing to post every story about these things is glorifying the acts and possibly encouraging other crazies to do the same. I often wonder if media outlets just make things worse when they blast these stories out with such force. We all know there is a problem in this country with mental health and gun regulation and and and. I’m intentionally NOT posting to avoid opening up a debate in my feed about this. Arguing on social media will not change it. If you want change, contact your local legislators and push for laws in your own state. Join groups advocating for change and donate to their campaigns. Make the change happen with your actions, not your thoughts and prayers.
I am just plain exhausted from seeing all of the posts on social media about these events. They are triggering to me, they overwhelm my senses, and I come to Mer’s Life to post things that aren’t (usually) so heavy for everyone to enjoy. So just read my silly posts and laugh at the crap my kids do, and turn somewhere else for the devastation - lord knows there is more than anyone needs to see just one swipe away.
Love you all so big.
XOXO -Mer
Kommentare