FFfAW — Blowin In The Wind

Fandango

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I’m still reeling after a day of reading about and watching the news coverage on TV regarding Sunday night’s horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas.

As I think back to other recent mass shootings, such as the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT., the holiday party in San Bernardino, CA., the movie theater in Aurora, CO., the church in Charleston, SC., and so many others over the past decade, I’m reminded that we, as a nation, have done nothing to stem the tide of such senseless gun violence other than to offer our thoughts and prayers. And offering thoughts and prayers accomplishes nothing.

I’m also reminded of Bob Dylan’s song, “Blowin in the Wind,” especially the verse that goes, “Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn’t see.”

How many times can we experience these mass shootings in our country and pretend that there is nothing we can do to address them? How long are we going to stick our collective heads in the sand like we are a nation of ostriches?

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

I apologize. I know that this post is not flash fiction. I also know that it’s well over the recommended 100-150 words for the Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers prompt. But when I saw the photograph by Elaine Farmington Johnson, which may or may not have been taken after the Pulse nightclub shooting, I had to use it to express my thoughts about what just happened in Las Vegas and our lack of resolve in dealing with gun violence in this country. I hope Priceless Joy, whose prompt this is, and all who read this post, will forgive me for breaking the rules.

26 thoughts on “FFfAW — Blowin In The Wind”

  1. Varad October 2, 2017 / 11:22 pm

    Good one, ‘dango. We all need some perspective.

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Iain Kelly October 3, 2017 / 12:51 am

    A fitting song. From over the Atlantic one of the craziest things about America that is difficult for us to understand are the gun laws. As you say, how many times before something is done?

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Fandango October 3, 2017 / 7:32 am

      It’s difficult for me, as an American, to understand the gun laws. America has become the land of bullets and bibles.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Iain Kelly October 3, 2017 / 8:39 am

        I’m glad there are Americans who find the situation difficult, hopefully if there are enough of you then a change can still come.

        Liked by 1 person

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        • Fandango October 3, 2017 / 9:23 am

          Maybe if we can shift control of Congress from the Republicans to the Democrats in the 2018 elections, but it’s not likely before then.

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  4. newepicauthor October 3, 2017 / 3:05 am

    As long as there is money to be made people will continue to sell guns and ammunition and the same goes for using fossil fuels. I highly doubt that picture was taken after the Pulse Night Club shooting, as that happened in the summer and the leaves on that tree are brown probably indicating fall. Also many people are wearing jackets and although people in the Orlando area have thin blood, it gets too damn hot here in the summer for that many people to be wearing jackets. I love Bob Dylan and that was a great post.

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    • Fandango October 3, 2017 / 12:41 pm

      You’re probably right. It was probably after some other horrific mass shooting. Take your pick.

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  5. JS Brand October 3, 2017 / 3:41 am

    We’ll said and a good song choice. I attached a Roy C song to my piece, but now think his “Something’s wrong with us” might have fitted the situation better.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Fandango October 3, 2017 / 7:53 am

      It would be, but don’t hold your breath.

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    • Fandango October 3, 2017 / 9:25 am

      Thank you. I would rather have written something else, but, with what happened Sunday night, I couldn’t.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  9. Marilyn Armstrong October 3, 2017 / 9:54 am

    Apparently a lot of people can turn their head an pretend that they don’t see indefinitely. I don’t see any likelihood of progress. Do you?

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Fandango October 3, 2017 / 10:38 am

      No, not as long as Republicans are in charge and the NRA owns the Republican Party.

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