A CARDIOVASCULAR ALERT
The shooting in Perry has had an ominous effect on the health of our elected officials and one can only hope that our local hospitals are adequately equipped to help with this. We have what appears to be an epidemic of heart related problems, and as I stated, primarily with our elected officials.
If the Des Moines Register is accurate in its quotes we have a situation of almost epidemic proportions. Both Senators, Grassley and Ernst, are suffering from "heartbreaking", Randy Feenstra is not suffering "heartbreaking" but is "heartbroken". Senator Ernst reluctantly admits that "heartbreaking" is in fact "sickening". Our Attorney General is also admitting that her "heart aches" which is a sure sign of pending cardiovascular issues.
This malady does not appear to be limited to Iowa politicians. Niki Haley admits "my heart aches". We have also the Ramaswamy who is apparently so far avoiding cardiovascular issues with his pronouncement that what we have here are "psychological issues".
Representative Zach Nunn is beyond angry and David Funk, the head of some gun group, simply suggests that teachers wear guns while in school. Can't you just see it now, a shootout in the gym - - bullets flying everywhere, windows broken, holes in the gym floor. Better than dodgeball for sure. Pretty exciting actually.
The one interview, the one quoted fact, the one thing of all this reporting that has any relevance to anything is the conversation with a fellow student who said the shooter had been bullied "relentlessly" since elementary school and now his younger sister was being bullied and no one had done anything about it. We have all been students, we have participated in one way or the other in school bullying whether perpetrator, recipient, or observer. It happens and it is very difficult for the administrators, teachers, or staff to know its extent.
It will not solve anything to fly our flag at half mast; it will not solve anything to send prayers to those involved. When you live most of your day in an institutional setting whether school, factory, office or prison, you will have those who shouldn't be there, those who make it unpleasant for others. Those who knew the shooter; those who sat with him in class or were with him in PE or stood with him in line in the cafeteria; they know why he did it and they understand it. This doesn't mean that they approve or that they themselves would do it; but they know.
We've all seen the clips where the tae kwondo kid who looks like a nerd beats up the school bullies. Doesn't happen folks. The world continues to be an unpleasant place for many. We are lucky in this country that we at least make some effort to alleviate unpleasantness. We often don't succeed and when we don't bad things can happen. It really is unfortunate.
Richard E H Phelps II
Mingo
