A Cultural Cancer (In Response To Sandy Hook)

I read this at a poetry event yesterday and everyone wanted a copy. So I decided to post this here. No, I am not defending guns in this poem--merely saying that in my opinion that gun control is just the frosting on a cake of problems that led to this tragedy and I'd like to see some of the other problems get as much attention. I could be wrong.

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Fighting a shooting
with gun control
is like fighting cancer with a wig
it feels good, looks good and is cheap
but ignores the fact that you are being eaten
from the inside out.
And as I look the reactions to the shooting
the fact that so many have made this about gun law
the fact that the media tries to blame this shooting on autism
the fact that the picture of the killer is on the front page
ten times as often as the pictures of the victims or their families
the fact that this killer who i refuse to give a name will be a household name
rather than the teacher who shielded her students from the bullets with her body
the fact that no one remembers in the amnesia of the human race that every time
something like this happens
these same debates
this same anger
this same bickering
and sometimes new laws pass
sometimes they don't
but by the end of it all
the energy and time and words that could have been used
to help create a culture more about compassion
and understanding, one that listens
one that takes away the stress
one like the rest of the first world that also has our guns
our violent movies, our violent video games
yet a fraction of our shootings and murders because they also have
community, and caring and a friendship and family
hearts and minds that are on the same page
prevention rather than penalty
knowing that love and now laws changes lives,
is all but drained in our haste to speak
rather than think.
Who is really thinking about those kids
who is really thinking about the kids of now and the kids of tomorrow
in a world where we act like we are the last generations that will ever see the fact of this Earth
leaving nothing to anyone after us
putting mounting pressure into every facet of our days with our 80 hour workweeks
get up and go not stop and think not stop and talk
double DVD set in the mini vans so the mom can be on the phone while driving and the kids can be distracted by Sponge bob and Dora
never having a relationship
never learning who your children are
never knowing what they want
what they need
never connecting
everyone connected with Facebook and twitter and iPhones and iPads
but never connected
everything fleeting
hearts bleeding
and you seriously think taking away a few more guns is the answer to this cancer
that has infected our day to day lives?
Newsflash, for the news:
we are all to blame when something like this happens.

And no amount of gun control
lawsuits
prison time
new laws
restrictions
anger
bickering
or bullshit
is going to bring those 20 children back
or stop the next 20 from dying
if we don't take off the f*cking wig
and start treating this cancer.