I woke up to the terrible news of the shooting in Virginia.  A shooter.  Again.  Five people injured but no deaths, thanks to security detail that was on the scene.  Right now, there is a press conference.  People want answers where few exist.  The investigation is so fresh. Safety is a worry. No one is sure if this was politically motivated. They have the suspect in custody — a suspect who had a rifle.

Those who were injured today are in my thoughts and I hope their recovery is swift.  I’m grateful there were no fatalities, but it’s sobering to realize how much worse it could have been.

The baseball practice was for a charity game where both Dems and Republicans put their political differences aside and come together for a common good. That’s something that should be happening every day. It’s something we, as neighbors and citizens, should celebrate and encourage. Today’s violence though is proof, again, that nothing is sacred. Hopefully, the game will still go on.

Gun violence is a terrible addiction in this country — and we treat it as if it’s a common cold. My Facebook memories — those memories that pop up daily on my feed — chronicle all the prayers and thoughts that are with victims of past gun violence.  Yet, nothing changes.  Our citizens are in harm’s way every day.  Those in public office — those who serve — are vulnerable.

We need to look at responsible gun control measures, not remove the restrictions that prevented easy access to those with mental illness.  We KNOW what to do.  We need to dig up the will to do it.  Prayers aren’t enough.  As one newspaper headline read:  God’s not going to fix this.