Terrorists and their cowardly attack on Lahore, Pakistan (and elsewhere)

My condolences go out to the victims' families of those affected from the horrendous suicide attack in Lahore, Pakistan. At least 280 injured and at least 65 killed, last I checked. Again, what a senseless act to steal innocent lives.

And yes, humans are the problem. However, religion plays a HUGE role in the majority of these attacks. Religion is a human construct and is often used as an excuse for discrimination, misogyny, xenophobia, cruelty, and violence. And yes, Christianity is JUST as guilty of bloodshed throughout history as any other religion. So it's not just Muslims. It's RELIGION that is the fuel to this fire.

The terrorist group claiming responsibility for the attacks, a Taliban splinter group calling itself Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar, admits it specifically targeted Christians, particularly male Christians. They claim they didn't want to kill women and children, which is bullshit. They wanted to kill, period.

Terrorists are fucking cowards, regardless of which flag or belief system they wrap themselves in—period. I have as much distaste for Timothy McVeigh as I do for any other terrorist. We have suffered plenty of terrorist attacks here in the US, but the perpetrators have been labeled anything but a terrorist, mainly because they were white males.

I lived in Oklahoma at the time of the OKC federal building bombing. My first husband was IN that building, moving office furniture, mere weeks before the bombing. Had the job been scheduled differently, Gary might have died in the terrorist attack. A friend and coworker of mine lost a relative in that bombing, too.

Our family took a trip to OKC to see the aftermath of the bombing. Seeing it on TV is one thing; seeing a bombed-out building in person where so many died is another thing entirely. The feeling that comes over you is almost beyond words.

Here is what I will say: yes, the world needs more love and tenderness, but love and tenderness alone will NOT make these terrorists stop the bloodshed and horror. It's not that simple—at least in my view. You can meditate all you want, you can try and project love all you want. Yes, continue to do those things...but it's NOT enough. Not enough by far.

Unfortunately, there are people out there who will take your love, tenderness, and care and just as soon slit your throat or blow you up without nary a care. We cannot quash terrorism with a global love-in where we expect everyone to drop weapons, hold hands, and sing "Kumbaya." I wish it were that simple, but it most assuredly isn't.

Let us do what we can to eradicate the root cause of these attacks, whatever they might be, and regardless of the uncomfortable truths we are forced to face. Humanity and our planet as a whole is at stake.

Tragedy and the Final X

Today my hometown was once again thrust into the arms of tragedy and violence. A shooter, now identified as Robert Lewis Dear, holed up in a Planned Parenthood office and ended up wounding nine people and killing three people, including two civilians and a campus police officer from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

It's hard to go back to living your life and doing mundane things around the house when you know there were a few of people from here in Colorado Springs who woke up today and had no idea that yesterday was going to be their last Thanksgiving, and that they wouldn't make it to tonight or live another day past today to see their family and friends ever again.

I remember seeing a calendar in my kids' grandfather's room on the day after he died from a heart attack in his sleep. I glanced at the monthly page as I was on my way to the bathroom. He had marked off every day that had come and gone with an X, with notes about what he'd done and planned to do for upcoming days. I stood for a moment and stared at the final X he marked on his calendar...and then I looked at the notes he had for the rest of the month...what he had on his to-do list for around the house, etc.

That final X has stuck with me. He didn't know it would be the last X he'd mark on his calendar. He had plans, but he died in his sleep that night. No more notes, no more crossing off the days of tasks he completed...it was done, and so was he.

Sobering and sad. Life can be real shitty at times, but even during the shitty times, you are still breathing and living.

You never know when you're going to put down the last X on your monthly calendar, or breathe your last breath. You won't know if you'll be here next Thanksgiving, or even tomorrow. In the end, life completes your tasks for you, even if you weren't ready to have them finished. We all have a final X. You only have today, this moment. Maybe we should make sure all our X's count.

Don't you think so?

Je Suis Charlie: I'm a writer, and I will *not* censor myself

Here's the deal: I do not follow your religion (I'm pagan, so I do not follow any of the Abrahamic religions). Therefore, I am *not* bound by your religious beliefs, and I do not have to respect your religion. You damn sure haven't respected my beliefs! In fact, plenty of pagans have been hanged and tortured throughout history and STILL ARE in parts of the world.

Yet, I'm expected to be sensitive and respectful, no matter how many insane or murderous acts are carried out in the name of a jealous, bloodthirsty deity of your making? No, just NO.

I will not sanction such absurdity and vile actions by trying to understand belief systems or zealots who have warped them so they bring nothing of value to this existence. Instead, they bring only acts of pain, death, and inhumanity into this world.

Nor will I censor my thoughts, speech, or writing. I'm a writer, and I shall write whatever I damn well please. If ink must turn to blood in order to fight for the rights of expression, then so be it. As a writer, I will not cower, I will not cave, and I will not censor myself to satisfy the masturbatory spiritual delusions of mad men and mad women.

If we cave to these kinds of acts and threats, they will become more insistent and severe until free speech and expression disappears. I will never be quiet to assuage your sense of false entitlement. I will not be silent in order to keep others comfortable.

I hope you will join me in pledging the same, fellow scribes and artists.