This morning, Arkansas State Rep. tweeted in wonder about how many in Boston were wishing we had an AR-15 Assault Rifle while we cower in doors as police hunt for the Boston Marathon bomber. I don’t want to speak for my fellow Bostonians, but I went back through my various desires last night and realized I had no desire for an AR-15, or really for a weapon of any kind.
Here are some of the things I was wishing for:
- A slice of pizza
- That I had put off game night
- A job that was easier to fit around my social life (so, Game Night was back on)
- A beer
- A full set of Cards Against Humanity
- That I had gone to PAX East this year
- Another slice of pizza
- More hours in the day (to divide between friends, work and projects)
I admit, some of those may seem glib. However, Game Night with my friends didn’t actually end until about midnight (and I use humor to cope). After that, I switched on the TV to play in the background while I finished up my work for the night. So, with the knowledge of the incident unfolding, here are some of the things I did wish for:
- That I wasn’t working at 1 a.m.
- That my friends who had trained so hard for the race had been able to complete it
- That the MIT Campus Police Officer hadn’t been shot
- That this wasn’t happening
- That people did not feel the need to resort to violence to express their messages
- That I hadn’t had another slice of pizza
- That I wasn’t still working at 2 a.m.
- That I put my fan on before I went to bed
- That work would be easy the next day
- That I could sleep in
The one common wish, I think among the people of Boston–and I grant I am speculating, but I think it is safe to say–is that we wish this had not happened in our city.
English: A Colt AR-15. On display at the National Firearms Museum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Another element of Rep. Bell’s tweet I think we need to dispel immediately: the people of Boston are not cowering. We are getting out of the way so that law enforcement officials can do their job. We are waiting for updates, and leaving it to the experts.
In the last six months, Gov. Deval Patrick has asked Boston-area residents to stay inside three times: Hurricane Sandy, the snowstorm Nemo, and today. I just emptied the dishwasher and made lunch; This isn’t cowering, this is waiting for the storm to pass. A bullet storm, if you will.
Which leads me to a suggestion: as the CDC is not allowed to study gun violence as an epidemic, could NOAA research it as an atmospheric condition? I would like to know what percent chance of gun showers I face when I set foot outside my door. Sunny, a high of 73, with a 20 percent chance of getting shot. Seems to me this is important information.
Related articles
- Boston’s Night on Twitter (nation.time.com)
- GOP Lawmaker On Manhunt: ‘How Many Boston Liberals Spent The Night Cowering…Wishing They Had An AR-15?’ (mediaite.com)
The Unsure Runner 