Another public massacre…
I would think that the suburbs of Portland would be a pretty safe place to do your Christmas shopping. I would probably not even lock up my car if I was going into that mall to pick up some gifts for my friends. When my phone buzzed with a CNN headline last night, the last thing I expected was news of another shooting.
Words don’t begin to tell the story of the pain and the fear and the senselessness of yet another horrible tragedy inflicted on innocent regular people going about their innocent regular business. The madman can be anywhere. God please protect us from random violence.
My friend, Eric, lives on the other side of Portland. Though sickened and in shock, he and his family are OK.
But our society is not OK.
Eric wrote a gut-wrenching poem and posted it on his blog, Give Our Time. I hope that you’ll pass it on to your own circle — this violence must stop. What are we doing to each other when we just say “OMG another shooting” and then go on looking the other way?
I Guess I’ll Look The Other Way
Posted on December 12, 2012
Dedicated to the victims of yesterday’s mass shooting at the Clackamas Town Center mall in Oregon.
I wish words were enough to make the violence go away.
There are people running, screaming;
They’re scared, bleeding;
It’s not real, surreal;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
The sirens are flashing, beaming;
The police are herding, leading;
It’s just a game, blame;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
They said he had a mask, a task;
They said he wanted to hunt, to kill;
It’s his game, fame;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
Someone’s little girl didn’t go home, her home;
The doctors tried, she died;
It wasn’t her game, shame;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
It’s happened before, many more;
A theater, a school, another school;
It was a student’s game, lame;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
There are people arguing, deceiving;
Their rights come first, misleading;
It’s their game, their musket ball and chain;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
I’m supposed to look only meekly, discretely;
To feel remorse, just briefly;
It’s someone else’s game, not my game;
I guess I’ll look the other way.
But what if I don’t, won’t;
What if I stare, and glare;
It’s not a game, it’s pain;
I can’t look the other way.
Not anymore, no more;
I now stand and dare, care;
It’s my pain, our pain;
I will no longer look the other way.
Should the world look away, the other way;
Then I’ll stand alone this day, today;
It’s not a game; it has a name;
Violence.
And it must go away.
– Eric Winger
Mother Goose Smiles 
Dec 12, 2012 @ 19:17:14
Powerful poem. Tragic inspiration.
Thank you for sharing.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 12:40:02
Jeff, thank YOU for sharing it as well. And now here we are today with another school shooting. I’m sad, I’m sick, I’m so sorry.
Dec 12, 2012 @ 19:31:48
Yes, it’s such a shame what is happening in our country. Prayers for those involved. Once again.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 12:41:01
And again, today… so horribly sad. Dianna, thanks for praying — I know it’s the very BEST thing we can do right now.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 14:39:25
We just have to remember that it isn’t meant for us to understand why things happen… That really isn’t any consolation, but it’s the best we can do.
Dec 12, 2012 @ 21:19:23
I am seriously concerned about the mental and emotional state of people. In our area of So. Cal police are searching for men involved in a shooting and then stealing a car… People are going to desperate measures and no regards for human life. God is the only way…
Dec 14, 2012 @ 12:42:34
Roberta, thank you for once again reminding me that we have to turn to God to help us out of this horror. Our nation needs to humbly return to Him who loves us with an everlasting love.
Dec 12, 2012 @ 22:05:03
Amen so well said, together we are one.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 12:43:06
Jo dear, thanks for being here with us. Love you honey!
Dec 12, 2012 @ 23:45:31
It is really disturbing and very sobering. THe poem is very thoughtful. I am just very sad.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 12:44:13
And today even worse… Debra, we just MUST pray that God will carry this nation out of this insanity.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 18:12:26
It’s so heartbreaking I can barely stand to think about it. But that’s precisely what I said to my husband and later to my daughter (Sophia was in her Kindergarten class today, safe and well). We need to be on our knees a whole lot more. It is so wonderful for me to have a friend like you, clear across the country, who knows the power of prayer. oxo
Dec 13, 2012 @ 10:07:43
I sat last night trying to figure out how we can prevent some of this………why are people so full of rage? Why are they so ill? Has it always been this bad?……So much of society is broken…
Dec 14, 2012 @ 12:46:18
Zanny, the night after Clackamas, I had a very vivid dream that many of us organized Peace Parades around the country to try to create unity and awareness that this madness MUST stop. And now, of course, another school massacre today… So sad. So very horribly sad.
Dec 14, 2012 @ 14:12:53
This is just horrifying…just so horrifying….to protect ourselves, we are going to hove to become the prisoners of these madmen…..whether it means more security in all public buildings, I don’t know….but our freedom of movement will be changed….I almost think that there needs to be a “screening” area, where they can somehow scan us as the airports do in order to look for weapons…I can’t think of any other way….this is just too sad.