Uvalde

And now we all know the name of a quiet little place in Texas: Uvalde.

The town of 15,000 lies south of Austin and about 70 miles from the Mexican border. It’s where 19 children were gunned down in their elementary classrooms yesterday.

Unspeakable, devastating horror was unleashed on Tuesday. Frantic parents flocked to the school, filled with dread as they waited to learn if their children survived the gunfire or perished. In the madness and confusion and bloodshed, kids were rushed to hospitals and their identities were not immediately known. 

The agony of waiting, of not knowing, was supplanted for many parents by the finality of death.

Decency and respect demands that in the immediate aftermath of an unimaginable tragedy we all take a deep breath and pray for the children and their families.

We demonstrate that we have a soul by not using the deaths of innocent kids to push a political agenda.

President Joe Biden addressed the nation within hours. He began his speech on a compassionate note but quickly launched into a rant, blaming the “gun lobby” for the mass murder. 

He did this while Uvalde parents were still searching for their kids.

Pathetic.

The president had a chance to demonstrate his humanity and to offer comfort to grieving parents and a shocked nation last night.

He didn’t do it.

Sad. All of it.