Yes, The World is Insane

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But in truth, it's always been that way. Since Cain slew Abel, since the first time one man seized by force another man's land or possessions, since the first man killed another for no apparent reason at all, death and ruin have stalked the innocent. People who are outside of the law and normal society have always existed.

The shootings in Las Vegas, the recent attacks in Canada and France, the list of man's inhumanity to man is a long and bloody one. It's not always some random asshole with some imagined beef with the world.

Sidebar: While on the topic of random assholes with a hair across their butts, there should never ever be mention of the perpetrator's name, that's part of what motivates them, to be famous (though infamous is more accurate). Usually the perpetrator kills themselves or commits suicide by cop. Once the dust has settled, burn the perpetrator's body and cast the ashes into the nearest river in the dead of night. Erase them from all public records, make it as though they had never existed.

But that's just me.

The world has always been more or less insane, those who want power over others, those who claim to "know better" always seek to impose their will on others.

Rome was powerful and vast. Until the barbarians from the steppes overran the empire and sacked Rome itself.

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After the Huns, Goths, and others of that ilk came the Mongols of Genghis Khan. Burning, killing, stealing as they went.

Imagine trying to raise enough food to feed your family while marauding bands of bloodthirsty bastards roam the land.

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Even in ancient times murderers and thieves would kill and take that which the marauding foreigners hadn't taken already. There were no police to protect the populace, only the army, to protect the State.

Things can be horrible in these modern times, but they have been worse in the past. Beware the politicians who seek to create new laws to "fix" things. One cannot fix an evil soul. They will always find a way. The politicos should seek to enforce existing law, not make new ones which will only be ignored by the criminal element.

Don't hamstring the police, make the courts punish the criminals when they are found guilty. No more light sentences, parole, or any of the other things which don't deter the true criminal one iota. Enforce the laws we have, punish the guilty.

For the moment we don't have armed bands of marauders roaming the land. But don't think it can't happen here. Because it can.

It has not been a great month so far. I found out that a man I worked with some 12 years ago, a fellow I learned a lot from, died. Two years ago and I just found out after mentioning his name to another coworker.

I found out that another former coworker, a retired Navy man, lost his beloved wife back in July. A much respected man, we often traded jibes about our respective services.

The terrorist attacks in Canada and France. The shootings in Las Vegas. The death of a fine musician.

Hard on the heels of all that, the deaths of two fine young men of the Naval Service. Lost in the crash of their T-45 Goshawk in the wilds of Tennessee. I have many friends in Naval aviation, it was a rough 36 hours waiting to hear who it was. We found out Tuesday afternoon.

First the relief that it wasn't someone you know, then comes the guilt because somewhere, two families get that dreaded knock on the door from the casualty notification team.

For far too many families around the world, the weeks and months ahead will be filled with the howling emptiness of loss.

Pray for them.