I can’t take it.  I despise violence just as much as the next guy.   I’ve shot a gun, don’t really care if I ever do it again.  I was curious that’s all.  Of course something has to be done about our crazy fascination with guns in this country and at least the conversation is in full swing and at least Obama is taking a confrontational stand to keep the conversation from dying down.

But I just heard another story of a six year old being suspended  – this time a little girl -who said she was going to shoot her friend with her bubble gun.  Her pink bubble gun.  The one before that was a little boy who pointed his finger and said pow.

I just went to the news story and I swear to God this is what the news guy said in the same grave tones he would report the Newtown shootings: “The suspension has since been reversed but questions remain – did the school overreact or was the extra caution justified in the wake of the Newtown Elementary massacre.?”

Excuse me?  What the…?  I’m really losing it here. ” Was the extra caution justified? ”  I don’t think there’s really much of a question there.  Well maybe so, that kid’s finger could really do some damage, I suppose.  And he probably is a psychopath in the making.  But wait, did I not play war with the Taylor boys in the neighborhood, ALL THE TIME,  the mounds of dirt from houses being built were our bunkers.  My imaginary gun was the only way I could actually have a chance with the Taylor boys, God knows the acorn fights were hopeless since I threw like a girl (their words, not mine, back off).   Anyway, as far as I know none of us from the neighborhood has gone off the hook and shot up a bunch of innocent people.

I understand everybody is a little jumpy right now after what happened in Newtown.  No one was unaffected by the horror.  The adult discussions are important and real. Really, though, aren’t we going a little overboard suspending little kids from school for playing?  I remember after I had a car accident when Joe was four, for weeks he played “accident” with his little cars, the ambulance came rushing to the scene, sirens blaring. Finally he got over it.  Is it possible that the little kids are workin’ it out in their own kid way?  Allaying their inner fears with silly play, that they know (even if the adults don’t) is harmless in its essence because they are just little kids?

Guns exist.  Violence exists.  No we don’t have to actively teach it.  But c’mon, since when are the paranoids of the world running the show?  I can’t take much more of this. We are being “protected” to death.  No one seems to have the power to do anything about  T.V. and Hollywood  ( just saw an ad on TV for a movie called, no kidding, Bullet to the Head) and their glorification of extreme evil, and our society’s addiction to violence porn, so we pick on little kids.  Brilliant strategy.

Leave the little ones alone.  Use it as an opportunity to educate if you like, but stop treating them as if they are the next wacko who walks into a school with a semi-automatic.  It is time to free the schools, somehow someway, from having to – yes – overreact because of the paranoid masses.  Is there anyone out there with a lick of common sense?

Just shoo… I mean, put arsenic in my tea….or slit my throat – and don ‘t let me see anyone using that “cut” sign by slicing their hand in front of their own throat.  Or putting sugar in my tea.   Mayday! Mayday! A wild and crazy throat slicer is clearly on the loose!  The little old ladies with arsenic are back!  We’re doomed!

Get a grip, people.