By Timothy D. Naegele[1]

At the moment, the attention of Americans and others around the world is focused on the small town of Uvalde, Texas[2], where young students and others were slain by a single unhinged gunman.  All of the facts are not crystal clear yet, including whether and how the massacre could have been prevented.  Blame is being thrown around; and typically some are trying to exploit it for their own political gains.  Since national elections will occur in November, which may alter the direction of our great nation, demagogues are in abundant supply.[3]

People in other countries question why the United States is beset by such unspeakable violence again and again.  Some cite almost 400 million firearms in the possession of Americans today.  Others cite the inability to spot and deal with mental health problems.  Others cite the attacks on our police and other members of law enforcement, as making them reticent to put their own lives on the line.

The shooter was 18 years old; and he shot his own grandmother in the face before beginning his rampage.  How did he obtain and learn how to use his arsenal of weaponry; and how did he afford it and hide it?  The hero was an off-duty border patrol agent, who was getting a haircut when his wife who teaches at the school texted him, saying there was an active shooter at the school where she teaches, and which their 8-year-old daughter attends.  Borrowing a weapon from his barber, he went to the school, and the rest is history.[4]

Violence and deaths are in the news each and every day, globally.  Russia's Vladimir Putin launched his vicious war against Ukraine recently, with no end in sight.  China's deadly Coronavirus pandemic is resurgent again, with the latest variants overriding vaccines and their boosters; and China is threatening Taiwan.  North Korea's Kim Jong-un is testing devastating weapons; and the list goes on and on.  Our churches are targeted; and at times one wonders where God is, in the midst of so much chaos.  The answer is: here, there and everywhere.[5]

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© 2022, Timothy D. Naegele

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[1]  Timothy D. Naegele was counsel to the United States Senate's Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and chief of staff to Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal recipient and former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-Mass).  See, e.g., Timothy D. Naegele Resume-21-8-6  and https://naegeleknol.wordpress.com/accomplishments/   He has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as well as two law degrees from the School of Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, Berkeley, and from Georgetown University.  He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon, where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal (see, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commendation_Medal#Joint_Service).  Mr. Naegele is an Independent politically; and he is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, and Who's Who in Finance and Business. He has written extensively over the years (see, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/articles/ and https://naegeleknol.wordpress.com/articles/), and studied photography with Ansel Adams.  He can be contacted directly at tdnaegele.associates@gmail.com

[2]  See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvalde,_Texas ("Uvalde, Texas")

[3]  See https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10854523/Beto-ORourke-marched-Texas-school-shooting-press-conference.html ("Beto O'Rourke GATECRASHES Texas school shooting press conference and heckles Greg Abbott for 'doing nothing' on gun reform before being marched out and called 'a sick son of a b***h': Abbott blames 'mental health' for shootings") 

[4]  See https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10858885/Hero-CBP-cop-rushed-Texas-massacre-school-shotgun-teacher-wife-texted-Help.html ("Hero CBP cop rushed to Texas massacre school mid-haircut with borrowed shotgun to rescue 20 kids including his daughter, 8, after wife who teaches there texted him saying: 'There's an active shooter. Help'") 

[5]  See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/what-and-where-is-god/ ("What And Where Is God?")

Today is my mother's birthday; and she had more genuine faith than anyone whom I have ever met.  She and my father gave me unconditional love, always; they are my only heroes in life; and I miss both of them.