WHITINGHAM — We made the connection between pollution and garbage, and everybody recycles.
We made the connection between fossil fuels and this bizarre weather. Now there are solar panels and windmills.
Now we are struggling to connect school shootings and - something. Anything but the hardware.
But we don't seriously want Miss Sweet packing iron in second grade. We're not dressing our children in Kevlar play-suits yet. But stay tuned.
* * *
A lot of money is changing hands in this reign of terror. We hear a lot of prayers and thoughts for the bereaved families of schoolchildren, but the money is going to the politicians and the media. And the death toll is rising.
People who murder classrooms full of kids invariably turn out to have had no power at all, other than firepower. Stardom is power now, any kind of stardom. It's horribly logical that they would make a last-ditch play for recognition after being taught all their short lives to choose between stardom and despair, winner-take-all. There is no legislation that can prevent this massive infusion of star power to the next miserable kid who figures this out - and loads up.
Except, there is.
The same way we're cutting carbon emissions. Turning off lights when we leave a room, turning off the car engine, recycling, choosing organic foods, not throwing candy wrappers on the sidewalk, for gosh sakes.
Now, the connection we want to make is not quite so obvious, but it's just as real, and we can be just as effective in making needed changes.
As we've just learned from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, “social” media has a toxic side. It's not automatically social. Communication is hard enough face to face.
When a bit of computer code can organize a political rally, something is off. When you can't see what's going on until the death threats start, something is missing.
* * *
This situation has grown out of our individual actions, so it can be dealt with effectively the same way. This is “think globally, act locally.”
Each of us has the power to pull our noses out of our screens and make somebody a star in the real world. It only takes a moment to listen and respond. It's what gives the other person full humanity. And it doesn't happen by “friending” something online.
Now those brave, wounded students have the stage, and their questions answer themselves before anybody can think of an alibi.
The alibis have been flying thick and fast. The media and the politicians are raking in the dough either way, like a casino, win or lose. None of that is going to make any difference without you.
It is up to us. And we're up to it. We do have a say in what matters.
Maybe the only say.