Living "in the past" as I do, usually the realities of life in today's world fade into the background. Today, a shocking and heartbeaking event occurred just an hour from where I live now, and in a small city that I grew up across the state line from. A dozen (possibly more) people were killed when a man walked into the American Civic Association building in Binghamton, NY and started shooting. Some 40+ people were in the building, many taking a test to gain American citizenship. No specific motive has come to light yet. I'm keeping the victims and their families in my thoughts...
It is amazing, given the increasing frequency of shootings like this, how often so many of us think, "it'll never happen here"... and how shocked, disturbed, angry, frightened, and generally upset we are when it does happen here. Alas, I fear that there is no longer any "here" that it can't happen. It's so easy to become oblivious to the possibility, but at the same time, who wants to constantly live in fear and paranoia? I wonder if that's how my grandmothers felt, at home alone during WWII, about the possibility of bombings or enemy attacks in rural & small town northeastern Pennsylvania...
I could picture the inside of the ACA building as newscasters were describing the events. Not because I'd been there for anything related to immigration or passports or green cards, but because I once attended a swing dance there with several friends.
Strange days indeed....
1 comment:
Ugh, how awful, it's hard to believe these things happen so close to home....
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