The Aurora Theater Shooting -- one year later

There are going to be a lot of people weighing in on the shooting by James Holmes one year ago. Here's my take on it. I think that people have a need to come together on anniversaries like this to remember those who were lost. I also think that people have a need to commemorate those who helped the survivors. These are good things, but they don't always need to be huge events that draw protesters as this one has done.

I do NOT believe it is appropriate to have a pro-gun protest close to where 19 people were killed by someone who is taking an insanity defense at his trial for the crime. I agree that the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution allows us to own guns, but I don't see a lot of "well-regulated militias" around these days because the duties those militias used to serve have been taken over by our policing forces and organizations like the National Guard. I also agree that it is their 1st Amendment right to be there is absolute.

There is a difference in my mind between appropriate and inappropriate timing and location of protests of ANY form. I know that there are people who would disagree with me about WHAT is inappropriate, and that is their right as well.

Texas, Ohio, and my daughter's rights

I know I haven't written much in this particular blog for a long time, but that is because I was focusing more on my blog that is more religiously based. However, the issues surrounding the stripping away of rights from women in favor of the unborn (and not yet viable) is just a symptom of a greater problem in my eyes. The problem is one of systematically trying to CONTROL women through their reproductive systems.

This is a battle that has been fought before and for well more than a century. This is a battle that as women, we CANNOT afford to lose. Yes, I freely admit to being a housewife and mother, but that is because of CHOICE and I refuse to see the ability to choose differently be systematically stripped away from my daughter.

THIS is one of the reasons I find the decision recently made in Ohio to be so abhorrent and am watching what is going on in Texas with both a sense of growing hope AND growing dread. I am also glad to live in a state where more progressive values hold sway in the halls of power......