The only thing really known so far about the horrid news yesterday from Texas: The gunman, identified by law enforcement officials as Devin Patrick Kelley shot and killed 26 people at a Baptist church and injured about 20 more..
Among the dead: A 5-year-old. The pastor’s teenage daughter. Conflicting reports still indicate that a 2-year-old may have been among the dead.
Also conflicting: How the shooter died. Did he commit suicide and die in a ditch? Did the cops find him after a high speed chase and he died in a ditch? Or did a set of good samaritans also fully loaded end up killing him in a ditch? Regardless of the factual progression of events, the key ending to the short live of Devin Kelley is that he died in a ditch after murdering others.
The usual suspects will debate gun control.. the right will say it’s a mental health issue while the left will say it’s about the weapons.. Meanwhile, it seemingly does not matter anymore.
Just one month ago, a concert in Vegas was struck by violence with a mass shooting .. though that situation disappeared into the vast black hole of space and time media coverage wise, the horrible event still has ramifications. Along with the yet to be determined reason why Paddock took up arms and killed, we have this: At least 7 witnesses to the event in Vegas are now gone after strange encounters with Death, almost like a diabolical real life plot of a FINAL DESTINATION movie..
This new event could not have been at a worse place: A house of worship. One of those buildings that the lessening amount of Americans who worship still find solace and peace.
Sutherland Springs Texas has about 360 people or so.. To say small town is an overstatement. It has one gas station, a blinking yellow light, a post office, and a Dollar General. That blinking yellow light may have been the most controversial thing in town. A New York TIMES story details how some in town wanted to change it to a red light because of recent traffic accidents.
Now the Texas community where quite literally people know each other by name is besieged by media vans and cameras.. The light of the national press corps will continue for a while. Until the next tragedy. Until the next shooting..
And when that occurs, the plight of Sutherland Springs will be forgotten, like so many other places around the nation hit hard by violence this year.
You can let the darkness creep into your mind easily when you watch the daily dose of news and blues. IT’s not good out there, is it? At least, it is seemingly not good. Sure the majority of people don’t commit random acts of atrocities. But those who get the national limelight, the attention that don’t deserve. We know them by name as a rule, and now instead of getting to know the victims, just remember the number. From Columbine to Sandy Hook, schools have been beset by fear.. from office parties to now concerts.. to now houses of worship. No place safe..
The light of God must shine through you in order for you to become Him. The strength is there.. each mind has the capacity to bring goodness into this world.
The only problem is being hit down time after time.
National trauma of some sort seemingly began around 9/11. And never stopped since.
And over the past year, whether it was because of political anger or just strife in general, we have been barraged by news of global earth changes, population upheaval, political recklessness, bombastic bastards, and random acts of violence that far outpaced anything of recent memory.
Yes, this is America the violent. America the disorderly.. the conduct unbecoming of a nation that once was at least trying to unite under one flag. Now, with the flatter torn and continuing fraying, the only thing that seems to bind us together are the tears over hatred and murder. But those tears dry…and when they do? The usual fighting begins anew.
LARRY DAVID being criticized for making concentration camp jokes during SNL monologue..
HEART DISEASE deaths are down in the US.. so is cancer.. But up? DRUG OVERDOSES.. So basically people are not living long enough now to get other diseases that historically in the past 20 years would have killed them..?
THE ORIGINAL SLASHER: The T-REX may have had short arms.. but it was a vicious slasher..
The gunman who allegedly killed 27 people in a Texas church has been identified as 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley..
Today’s mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, was only halted after an armed Texan “engaged” the killer and put an end to the rampage, the Texas Rangers reported. Freeman Martin, a major in the Texas Rangers and a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, says the suspect dropped his rifle and fled after being confronted by a local man who had grabbed his rifle.
One witness told authorities that among those who were shot in the attack was a two-year-old child
First Baptist Church Pastor Frank Pomeroy said his ‘beautiful and special’ 14-year-old daughter is among dead
Another witness said the man, who isn’t from the Sutherland Springs community, was dressed ‘in full gear’
More than 20–could be near 30– people have been killed in a shooting that took place inside of a Wilson County church during Sunday service, just 40 miles southeast of San Antonio.
KENS 5 arrived on the scene around 12 p.m. and witnessed tarps covering bodies, along with a very heavy police presence outside of the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Tx.
KENS 5 confirmed at the scene that there were multiple casualties including children. The Associated Press was reporting at 3:36 p.m. that officials were reporting that more than 20 people were killed in the attack.
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President Donald Trump tweeted from Japan, where is his on an Asian trip, that he was monitoring the situation following the shooting. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting an “evil act,” and promised “more details” from the state’s Department of Public Safety soon.
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A witness reported seeing the as-yet unidentified man walk into First Baptist Church and began shooting around 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
Wilson County commissioner Albert Gamez Jr. told a CNN reporter that the gunman fled in a vehicle after the shooting and is now dead after a brief pursuit.
MORE..
One witness told authorities that among those who were shot in the attack was a two-year-old child
First Baptist Church Pastor Frank Pomeroy said his ‘beautiful and special’ 14-year-old daughter is among dead
The DAILY BEAST sums up what is occurring on Twitter right now like this:
First, McGowan tweeted out a link to the video interview with the message, “Told you everyone knew. No one cared. Men ran the show. Women toed the line. No more. #ROSEARMY.” Then, Asia Argento, who also accused Weinstein of raping her, tweeted a link to the video with her own, more pointed message: “Hey @AlecBaldwin you’re either a complete moron or providing cover for your pals and saving your rep. Maybe all three.” This missive caused Baldwin to fire back, tweeting, “If you paint every man w the same brush, you’re gonna run out of paint or men @AsiaArgento.”
The argument continued with others involved..
Baldwin struck back:
First, McGowan tweeted out a link to the video interview with the message, “Told you everyone knew. No one cared. Men ran the show. Women toed the line. No more. #ROSEARMY.” Then, Asia Argento, who also accused Weinstein of raping her, tweeted a link to the video with her own, more pointed message: “Hey @AlecBaldwin you’re either a complete moron or providing cover for your pals and saving your rep. Maybe all three.” This missive caused Baldwin to fire back, tweeting, “If you paint every man w the same brush, you’re gonna run out of paint or men @AsiaArgento.”
Rita Panahi, an Iranian-Australian columnist for the Herald Sun, tweeted a screenshot of the Argento-Baldwin exchange with the message: “But it was AFTER Polanski had fled justice AFTER drugging & anally raping a child. Get in the bin, @AlecBaldwin. Stay strong, @AsiaArgento.”..
And the highg school-ish exchange escalated.. continued.. Tweetstorms arose.
Then Baldwin said bye:
Baldwin responded to the online backlash by tweeting out a six-part apology, writing, “it is w some degree of sadness that I will suspend posting on this a TWITTER account for a period of and in the current climate…It was never my intention, in my public statements, to ‘blame the victim’ in the many sexual assault cases that have emerged recently…I simply posited that the settlement of such cases certainly delayed justice, though I am fully aware that those settlements were entered into w understanding that settlement is wise, intimidated into believing so. My heart goes out to all such victims. My goal is to do better in all things related to gender equality. Au revoir.”
