I think the caption captures how I feel right now after this week’s events. Anger leads all the other emotions. I remember being so sad after Sandy Hook every time I saw an image of a gap toothed first grader lost in that tragedy. But I also hoped the images of adorable first graders who were killed would result in some action being taken to prevent such horror in the future. Instead I remember arguing with someone I knew who was an aid in our local middle school about the futility of doing active shooter drills and how ridiculous that was. Nothing changed and by the time Parkland happened I was ready to give everything I had to those amazing teens who felt empowered to take action. They marched. They raised money. They collected signatures. They did what everyone says you should do if you want change in our current democratic system. Nothing changed. The dial has not moved at all. We are no closer to dealing with this problem than we were the day after Columbine, Sandyhook, Las Vegas, Parkland, Buffalo or any of the other tragic shootings.
The photos of children lost are always so joyful and full of love and caring. Their eyes sparkle with potential and dreams and imagination. Not only are their lives lost but the lives of so many who loved them are altered forever.
There is no collaborating or finding middle ground with a death cult. They say they want to fight for “Life” and that is what motivates them,, but they don't care about children or the future. For if they did they would say “Never Again” after something like this and put laws and policies to stop the endless shootings we have in the US. They would worry less about a woman who is aborting a non-viable fetus and more about caring for the children who are living.
In a previous blog post I wrote, “On top that I am desperate to find a venue to hang “Alignment Problem” because the message in that drawing is in my mind, the most important message right now. What happens when the systems we create to make life better end up pursuing their own objectives and do not achieve what we want or expect of them as they are unleashed in the real world? This painting is about the misalignment between our goal of nurturing children and the effects these systems have on the world they will grow into.” I submitted “Alignment Problem” to a show titled “Nature and Nurture” along with two other more joyful pieces about my children growing up and blooming into their own. The jurors decided this week and the piece they picked was alignment problem. At first I was shocked this piece was chosen but then I realized in the context of this week’s events this piece has a lot to say. I am glad this piece will finally get hung but I am heartbroken that it took an event of such magnitude to have people understand it.