Pumped Up Kicks

Well, another school turned into a shooting gallery.  I guess I'm surprised the story has outlasted more than one 24-hour news cycle; but I suppose it's because a couple of the victims managed to hang-on for a number of hours before succumbing to their wounds.

I did a fairly extensive online search to see how various outlets elected to handle this story.  Lots of chatter about the perp being bullied.  The classic moody loner.  Troubled family.  I do not doubt for one second that all of this may be true; but what is missing from these story lines is any serious discussion about the weapon.

T J Lane did not knife five kids in a school cafeteria.  He did not strangle five kids over breakfast.  He did not bludgeon his classmates to death.  No, he shot them with a gun.

"Pumped Up Kicks" a catchy tune by one of my favorite bands, Foster the People, has been going through my mind the past couple of days:

Robert's got a quick hand.
He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan.
He's got a rolled cigarette - hanging out his mouth - he's a cowboy kid.
Yeah!  He found a six-shooter gun... in his dad's closet, with the box of fun things.
I don't even know what, but he's coming for you.  Yeah, he's coming for you!

Chorus:

All the other kids, with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids, with the pumped up kicks,
You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

Outrunning bullets is not an easy thing to do.  Not easy for kids.  Not easy for estranged lovers.  Not easy for convenience store clerks.  Not even easy for members of the NRA. 

This country is awash in guns - it's insane.

And speaking of nuts - how 'bout them Republicans?

The Empty Suit bought another couple of primaries last night and his boodle will no doubt stand him in good stead on Super Tuesday as well.  Still, it's remarkable that exit polls continue to indicate a huge lack of enthusiasm for the Mittster - even among those who voted for him.  Can't say that I blame them.  Mitt is a pretty sorry excuse for a candidate.

Fortunately for him, his opponents are flat-out looney.  Santorum's antics of the past week were truly bizarre - even by GOP standards...