Just Wondering... about the flag at half staff

We mourn the victims of this latest horrendous tragedy in Aurora CO

as yesterday the world got the first glimpse of a young man sitting in a court room with his "Joker red hair" as he sat in front of the Judge out there.

As Aurora still reels in shock; the news media continues to cover this local news and National tragedy that happened once again;

triggering events of the past at

VA Tech in daylight on a campus;

of Columbine, of the Oklahoma Bombings for many. 

Yet one brilliant 24 year old mind

made calculating plans to do such a horrendous act in a dark theater at the premier of Batman's latest Dark Knight

where many were in costume and enthused to see what for some was their very first "premier theater viewing".

Our President was informed and issued an immediate message of comfort to those in Aurora and to the Nation.

We are standing with them and with each other.

It is always during tragedy that we seem to stand the strongest and lean into one another.

...

I also watched as flags have been lowered in honor of the victims of this tragedy across the land.

I have to wonder though if that is the appropriate response even now that we continue to be in shock and horror of this event.

I fully support whatever decision that Aurora and EMS/Fire/PD departments want to or think we should do;

BUT

I am wondering if our flag and its lowering over our Nation is being at times lowered too many times...

Yes I agree this massacre is a tragedy;

my heart bends for those there, the victims, those who are clinging to life right now, the families and friends, and on a larger scale the world as we know it as we mourn this tragedy.

...

I also wonder if the flag were lowered with each casualty that is coming home to our soils in a flag draped casket daily or weekly now

it would probably remain at half staff.

I wonder if we need to reserve the lowering of our flag for those times

those horrific times

as I am reminded of 

9/11

and those times of our men/women

who have and are serving

and our 

times of 

USA National flag ettituque

times that are long held traditions as we create new ones

in order to preserve its significance,

while acknowledging that states indeed will have many reasons to lower their flags during state tragedies such as the one we are now reeling from.

President Obama arrived in Colorado on Sunday; his second visit there recently in the role of our Leader; yet to be the consoler to  so many devasted in a state once again by one who needlessly has devastated many. First is was an arsonist who set off wildfires and now 

the one who walked in with a plan to kill as many as possible and also blow up his apartment building and the one next to it;

taking out those who lived there as well.

Our President touched down and was able on a human to human exchange to demonstrate caring that was to represent the best of each of us to a community and state devastated.

And meantime, the few minutes that were watched probably around the world showed a young man in a state issued suit, with red hair, with gazing eyes of blank stares.

He did not speak; he just gazed blankly.

One must also remember he has "studied well the neurosciences of the brain";

the room was filled with family and friends of those either killed, maimed or fighting for their lives now in hospitals.

Colorado has the death penalty; and many are praying it is enacted.

The tears and sobs and devastation is like a pulse in a wrist that is trying to escape the skin; and in need of intervention as the days pass for so many; now funeral plans have been made or have been held. James Holmes killed 12 people, wounded an additional 58 in the chaos, most of them through gunfire. This  high number of casualties has made it the largest such incident in the country’s record. How sad to say he has now made it into the record books.. perhaps that was the intention of this brilliant mind to be known for something.

...

But our President took as much time as was needed to be a man who cared deeply, he listened to the stories, he comforted, he held and he shed tears with those that cried as they told their stories.

We all have thought about those times we have been in theaters, sitting with someone we love, waiting for the show to start, engrossed in the story line; not so much aware of the comings and goings of those around us.

In a heartbeat

it can and did change lives, a community

the Nation and the world

in our thinking, our safety

our very ability to grasp this horror.

Tomorrow the flags will go back to their normal place high to the top of the poles,

people will return to theaters around the world,

life moves on for so many

and for others

?

Next month, there will be a real need to call in trauma experts to Colorado;

to sit with, work with the responders, the families, the friends...

For now?

Hold them UP, think of them with hope in healing, prayers in purpose of just the ability to rise from the ashes and place one foot in front of the other.

May justice be swift

and healing be heartfelt

as we 

Remember.

Thank you  President Obama

for your care of our people and representing all of us in being with those in a state that is in shock and trauma now.

 "Even as we come to learn how this happened and who’s responsible, we may never understand what leads anyone to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such evil is senseless – beyond reason. But while we will never know fully what causes someone to take the life of another, we do know what makes that life worth living." POTUS

Let the flag be at half staff

it is after all the worst of a terrorist born to our own soil that has now made history

and devastated lives forever changed by this event.

We will stand for those who now need us

and light our candles for healing in hope

while recognizing that this will probably not have an understanding.

 Walk in Beauty

DRSES