VT TV … social network software. Hear the gunshots. Hear the footsteps. Logon to Facelesslaptop and ask if anybody’s out there. What could have happened if people had talked, walked and planned with each other. Shut the door, hold the door. Outhink the gunman, you’ll never outrun the bullet. Build a society, not a network. Make friends, not contacts. Stop praying and begin living here. MacBeth can’t harm you now.

The gun debate won’t end. It won’t end the violence. Guns aren’t going away in your lifetime. Americo is the land of guns and glory. As a nation, we believe that violence is necessary — at some time. For some problems. So, if we can’t reduce guns, can we increase them? Make them required. Like jury duty. A citizen’s duty is to carry and use a gun, unless they have a valid excuse. An excuse from a court. The citizen has a DO NOT CARRY PERMIT. A license, prominently worn as notice that this person doesn’t carry a gun. And would the wider distribution of guns have stopped the killing? Check back after you spend a few weeks in sunny Somalia or iridescent Iraq.

“Their hair was straight and smooth … and they are beautiful, not nappy haired at all.”

Said by …. journalist …. preacher …. politician. I want to point out that the phrase is one that most are happy to repeat in order to act their part in the drama. And here is the point of balance: notice the words “smooth” + “beautiful” these remarks are from white and black women offering opinion. I believe that they don’t want to imply that “non-smooth” hair is “non-beautiful” but their comments don’t lead me to that. Instead I give them enough slack to slip their own noose. After all, they’re just pundits on TV. They aren’t my conscience nor my salvation. I’ve never expected Comcast to provide me a link to anything other than a video feed.