Did We Do Away With the Word "Crazy" ?

Dear loyal readers,

     By now I'm sure you've  all heard the news regarding the slaughter of 49 innocent people by a nut job here in my hometown, Orlando, Fl.  (actually I live in a suburb of Orlando- Clermont but we are part of the "metro Orlando" population of 2.3 million people so... close enough.).   Anyway, I'm sure some of you are wondering why Chuck Marshall didn't write something sooner than this since all this happened in his hometown ?  Mainly, it's because my blog is not news, it's an opinion so I can't write down much until the situation has developed and my little brain has formed enough of an opinion such that I can dribble out some sort of rambling comments regarding the whole thing.

     First of all, of course I extend my deepest condolences to anyone affected by this travesty.  I can only imagine how difficult  this is for those people.   They should know that the world prays for them and their families.  I had my own panic attack as the news developed on Sunday morning.  When they said the number was up to 50, I suddenly thought of my nieces and nephews - all in their 20's and all still at the "clubbing age".  It's fashionable for kids today to go to gay bars on occasion, so my mind jumped immediately to my two nieces living in Orlando.  I texted them both...: "Are you guys ok?   Please let me know, watching news"    I was frantic until I got word within the hour they were fine.   How awful to text your loved one and never hear back.  Only silence.  I was also part of the new Facebook "I'm safe" feature.  I got a message from FB that they noticed I was in the vicinity of the shooting in Orlando and I could click the button to let all my FB friends know I was OK.  I haven't been in a nightclub in years and am way past such libations but I understood as I clicked "I"M OK" that people will still worry no matter how slim the chances.  Strange world.

    Second of all, of course this has turned into a political cat fight.   Both presumed candidates have weighed in with what you would expect from the left and right.  Donald Trump  is a bit more theatrical and bizarre  than you would normally hear (as usual)  but the point is the same as always from both sides.  The right says we should restrict Muslims to some extent, go after the culprits and kick some butt (kick whose butt, exactly?)   The left says we need more gun control and we have to be very, very careful not to upset the Muslims lest  more terrorists are inspired to drop more bombs and shoot up more of us. (I'm so concerned about upsetting the terrorists !)   And, as usual they're both hysterical and sort of stupid about the whole thing.

   What does Chuck Marshall  think?  I like to entertain the idea that we have a smart government.  It's fun !  Like fantasizing about the lottery.  Imagine you're living on a planet inhabited by wise citizens being ruled by a government that actually takes action to solve problems.   On this fantasy planet the government is actually smart and it forms ideas to solve problems rather than  simply debating  the problem from opposing views until we've all forgotten what the original problem was.   In other words, they DO SOMETHING.  The core of the problem is mental illness.  All of these shootings are done by nut-case freaks.  Yes, he may have been "inspired" by ISIS but he's still crazy !!  We're talking "Cra-Cra" here folks !  All of these mass shooters are died-in the wool, bona-fide lunatics.  The cable news works so hard to define the whole damn thing, they turn themselves into pretzels analyzing the  event.  But really ?    In the words of the great Chris Rock; "Did we do away with the word "Crazy"?" Lock them up, observe them and set a Psychiatrist loose on them.  Anyone who talks about how much they love ISIS or posts on FB violent ideas or who strangles puppies or runs over cats with a lawnmower is a threat to us all and they need a psychiatrist not an AK47 !    That will solve the problem.

So, there you have it... a solution.  Don't forget to click an ad and share this blog and  remember,......everyone is entitled to Chuck Marshall's Humble Opinion.