Surely, I am not the only American who sees the horrible irony of the mass shooting today in Highland Park, Ill., that killed six people and injured dozens of others.
It occurred on the Fourth of July, the day we recognize the birth of our great nation that tragically has become known for precisely the type of violence that erupted yet again this morning just north of Chicago.
“Only in America” can this happen? I hate making that suggestion, but it appears that appears to be the case. To be clear, other parts of the world do experience this sort of madness … but not to the extent to which we are becoming seemingly numb to its frequency in this country.
We just finished burying those 19 precious children and two of their teachers in Uvalde. That remembrance came immediately after 10 shopping center customers were gunned down in Buffalo, N.Y.
The instances occur with frightening regularity. My wife said to me today, “It looks like we’re not going to be able to go anywhere.” The shooting today took place amid the red, white and blue bunting, banners and flags of a Midwest town’s parade honoring our nation’s 246th birthday.
The good folks of Highland Park now will be consigned to remembering this day for entirely different and tragic reasons.