It's difficult to explain how I was feeling, but for me, putting my emotions into a quilt is better than masking them with anti-anxiety meds. At first I wanted to ignore the coverage, and forget about the legislative disappointment, but that's not going to help me or anyone else. It has to be a call to action, to do more. I made calls, I wrote letters and I started looking again for organizations in my new neighborhood that might be a fit for me to make a small difference.
To respond to the "quilty" questions about this quilt...
The quilt is approximately 40" x 60"
The red is fused and then the raw edges were zigzagged with red thread.
The quilting is straight lines done 1/4" apart over the entire quilt.
The quilting runs at an angle with the direction of the splatter.
The back is a 15" strip of an Alexander Henry skull print in black and white placed at a slight angle across the back with black solid above and below.
The quilting thread is Aurifil 50 wt in cream.
The red is Kona cotton color rich red.
77 comments:
This piece shows the raw emotions that many people were feeling last week. I think that every single politician should see this quilt. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I think this is another in a series, along with your "Bang Your Dead" quilt that should hang in the Capitol Rotunda until they come to their senses and make serious efforts to address gun violence (even though I know that wouldn't have prevented Monday's tragedy).
Looking from the outside, I have to shake my head about the lack of gun control in the US. Why can't those in power realize this. Your quilt is amazing and very thought provoking. I hope this Monday morning you are seeing sunshine and thinking happy thoughts.
We need to stem radical ideology and hatred and foster love of our country.
I had a longer post here, but thought better of it.
My wish is for those who were hurt in this to find peace. And the rest of us to not fear the simplest of things.
I am with you...
I so get this, all of it. Although many things are different in Canada, I am with you about how much more work there is to do, everywhere. I like that your quilts make people think and remember.
Beautiful work, thanks for sharing!
Thank you once again for your poignant work and your courage in sharing this piece… I expect you'll be faced with another polarized audience on this one.
Your quilt is so meaningful at this point in time and sadly for many days to come I am certain. At times I think we are no further along than a third world country whose political figures are bought and paid for by the highest bidder. Our political leaders protect those that send the most money no matter what those donors represent. It's defeating. Love that you channel your thoughts in this venue. Your spirt is enviable!
Jacquie-
You are amazing. Thanks for sharing this powerful reminder. xo, cb
For so many of us quilting is an outlet to explore and understand the emotions that come in times of tumult. I like the idea of this one being a sister quilt to Bang Bang. There is much work to do to stem the tide of violence that seems so pervasive in today's society. Awareness is the first step. And quilting is as proper a platform to raise this awareness as any. Thank you for your talents.
Thank you, Jacque, for your sentiments and for your quilt. It's so easy to escape into pretty fabrics and ignore what's going on around us. I applaud your courage to face into the pain and express it with your art. A very touching tribute to the struggle against violence.
Jacque,
Your work and your words inspired me to write this poem.
From my heart,
Sparrow
"There is no beauty in this sorrow,
But there is the light of hope
to soften the shadows of pain.
Hope is the beauty that inspires,
Ignites a single spark.
A spark to set a flame.
A flame to spark a fire.
A fire to light the world,
And bring sorrow to it's knees.
Alone we are sparks.
But together we blaze;
Beauty in the darkness.
Be the spark that sets the fire."
There has always been violence and bloodshed and there always will be. And there is nothing you can do about it. But if they take away our 2nd amendment rights you will see more bloodshed than you have ever seen in your life. You can delete my post, but I hope you remember what I said.
Nothing I can do....I can't and won't believe that. It's amazing how you jump to taking away 2nd amendment rights when that was not advocated for here. That is quite a leap. There are so many ways to teach folks to have empathy, to value human life, to solve problems peaceably rather than through violence. There are ways to help people deal with complex and difficult issues. I choose to work to do that. I have seen work like this make a difference in people's lives. Violence may be a fact of life, but there are ways to reduce it.
This is very powerful Jacquie. Thanks for sharing it with us.
When the 2nd Amendment was written, people used single shot rifles & muskets.
Today there are responsible people with rifles & pistols & no one is advocating taking them away.
There is a big difference between a rifle & a machine gun.
I commend you for making this art quilt & for sharing it while our emotions are still raw. Art doing what art does - provoking a response.
Thank you for expressing your emotions through quilting.
Locally, many of us are dealing with a tragedy where a neighborhood mother took the life of herself and her children (one of which was my daughter's friend).
The evil in the world is almost overwhelming at times and we all grieve in different ways. I can't even blog about what I'm feeling which I why I am glad that you are doing so.
Thank you.
This is a very moving quilt thank you for sharing. I hope to see it in the MQG exhibit at the International Quilt show!
Wow! What a powerful message. Thank you so much for expressing your feelings. You are not alone, your poignant and powerful quilt speaks for so many of us.
I do hope it gets to hang in places where lots of folks will feel its impact!
The reason I mention 2nd Amendment rights is because of some of the previous comments about gun control and also from your other quilt with the gun and blood. Teaching people about empathy, valuing human life and solving problems peaceably work with people that already have those values, but there will always be crazies out there. I'm not saying to not try and help, but realize people still have to be able to defend themselves.
I'm sorry, but these two quilts are about violence and I don't see how they are helping anyone.
Again, I disagree. I have worked with parents and children who felt violence was the first way and many times the only way to solve problems. I changed people's lives by teaching alternatives and skills. I have never said that the 2nd amendment should be eliminated or that guns should be banned or that people can't defend themselves. Constitutional rights in the United States are and have been limited or restricted. The 2nd Amendment is not immune or in my mind somehow sacred. Gun control doesn't have to be one or the other. There are sensible options and conversations and debates are possible where workable options can be found. I am open to that debate. As for crazies, yes, they are out there, but again, we are in the position to help or prevent many of those people from becoming crazy or becoming violent as well. It's not easy and the problems are large and many. I refuse to have a "that's the way it will be" attitude. That's not how change occurs.
These quilts are about violence and I'm sorry you can't see how they might have helped some people learn, talk, debate or even move to action, whatever their point of view.
We all need reminders. Nothing will change if we don't stand together on this one. Very moving.
Jacquie! This is another of your quilts that speaks Quiltian! A new language that conveys exactly what you want to say through your design. Firstly congratulations on being able to convey it EXACTLY! I bow to your talent, woman and I am honored to know you - even if it is just online. I dream of one day meeting you and giving you a hug!
Secondly, I have been disturbed for the past few days too. Not very long back a young woman was gang raped and brutally tortured and murdered in the Capital of my country. And a few days back a 5 year old was raped and tortured! What has become to the human race? Be it a person who's barely crossed his teens partying with friends hours after bombing about 200 people or a person who can actually see anything sexual in a 5 year old! I am dumbstruck by the ease with which these people commit these crimes, and the way they glorify their deeds in the name of religion and sometimes mental illness! I was happy that I live in a small town - away from all such horrific stuff, but my delusion did not last long when a 6 yr old girl was molested in her school just one block away from my Is humanity on its way to extinction?
jacquie, I can see that we won't agree on everything, but I appreciate your point of view. There are so many issues at stake with this subject and obviously we can't discuss them on this venue, but I have to say thank you for taking the time to explain your opinion.
and I appreciate your respectful comments. we can disagree yet discuss and share our points of view. kudos for that!
I would pay much more attention to the discussion if Anonymous would own their comments.
This way.........it means nothing to me.
The reason I sign on as Anonymous is because of the subject matter. If I were to put my name on here, someone would be able to view my own blog (which is about quilting and my family) and find where I live. Due to the controversy, I'd rather keep the 'crazies' away from my doorstep. I'm sure you could understand that.
Powerful. I was also thrown by the floodin lter in the week inthe Chicago area.
What an interesting discussion. I just wanted to say that when people ask what I'm working on, or why, I often describe my quilting as an emotional response - similar to your need for spring with your tulips, and your need to express your feelings about this tragedy in this particular quilt. It doesn't require my condemnation, acceptance or approval. It is your emotional response, and I'm glad you have an avenue to express your feelings - which is sort of what it all comes back to, doesn't it?
Art moves us to evolve, to find a better way.
Thank you for inspiring us and hopefully moving us all to be more tolerant, more understanding, less judgmental and less afraid of what we might lose rather than being concerned that others may lose their lives.
Beautiful work, as always J. It's stunning in its simplicity and really hits home. Thanks for making and thanks for sharing.
Art is the perfect place to express and share political and social commentary. Sometimes it's the only medium available to oppressed people (Russian writers of the 1950's). It's perfect because it's controversial and challenges people out of their comfort zone to discuss. The art offers a lasting, enduring commentary on the feeling of the time, today. I'm glad Jacquie took advantage of the liberty we have to express. Personally I think that if youngsters were more exposed to hands on art, music, writing and threatre, given a means to express themselves, this violence thing would be somewhat tamed.
I love you, and your quilts, more than words could possibly convey.
So very powerful, Jacquie. Thank you for the honesty in your art. Without the belief that there can be change....we would be hopeless indeed. I'm with you on this.
Jacquie--I'm so moved by this, like I was by your other quilt, and respect you and Dan R for putting yourselves out there. As far as "'crazies" at the door", you and he are brave, because in this conservative niche of the artish world, quilting, that can barely even accept that "modern" quilts are quilts, you guys are practically heretics to many, apparently. Good. For. You guys.
And Anonymous, I live two blocks from Gabby Giffords here in Tucson. She comes into the coffee shop she used to end her run at, but now she limps with a cane. YOU come tell her there will never be any change. I don't believe it, nor does she, and none of us will be threatened into doing nothing about it. (Jacquie, feel free to delete me if this is too political.)
There was a time when I opposed quilts as a medium for political expression. I wanted to preserve the comfort they were meant to give. Then I saw The Names Project - The AIDS Memorial Quilt. From then on, I saw quilts as the perfect artistic vehicle to effect change. There was a reason the theme was 'see it and understand'. I still make my quilts as tactile declarations of love and care, but what if we lose love and stop caring? It is for that very reason that quilts work so well to communicate the fear and sadness we are all feeling now. Thank you, Jacquie, for your brilliant interpretation of our most recent tragedy. I look forward to watching where this work, as well as "Bang You're Dead' will go. Take care, Byrd
Thank you. This is absolutely the heart of the issue . . . we need to stop the insanity of thinking that weapons are a way of protecting our freedom. Every one of them leaves us less freedom to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Such a very powerful image. Thank you for sharing this work.
Thank you, for making this, for sharing it, for challenging us with it, and for motivating me with it. I, too, have been writing letters and making phone calls following the Senate's disgraceful lack of action. Your quilt reminds me that is not enough--nothing can ever be enough.
JaneB - In your one statement you have discounted every American soldier that has fought and died for your freedom. We have the ability to 'love one another' because of the sacrifices these men and women have made for US. Our founding fathers are turning in their graves to think that people in this country have come so far from the original intent of the constitution. How sad..
Sorry Jacquie, I had to respond. I'm done now.. :-)
Thank you Jacquie for starting this conversation, I have read it with real interest, after looking at your amazing quilt I just had to join in.
As an outsider looking in, and please belive me I make no judgement on anyone, but I am amazed and saddened by the ability of some americans to threaten others if they don't get to keep their own toys!
I am sure that the majority of Americans agree, that all these automatic weapons are not necessary in civilians hands, and the end of the world is not yet here.
Please let peace prevail, and think very carefully about what you really want in your country.
Thats it. Thansk for allowing me to voice my own opinion.
Jacquie, thank you for sharing this quilt with us. I've been checking here since Monday because I knew you'd have something for us. :)
Another quilty question - what red did you use? I would love to see the back.
Jacquie...amen!
Hi Jacquie:
I love that you crafted this instead of just relying on your meds (although I suffer from anxiety/depression as well and know how crippling it can be sometimes).
This serves as a great reminder: Good design isn't always pretty, as long as it conveys the appropriate message or feeling. And it also reminds us that crafting can be what we need it to be (just like running, actually!). It can help us process unwanted thoughts and feelings as well as uplift our spirits.
I'm interested in seeing the back. I love the choice of fabrics.
Thank you Jacquie for using your art and your talent to get us talking and thinking. I, too, have trouble with anonymous comments and resist giving them any of my time. What is striking here is the articulated fear behind the choice. Moving past fear with love and respect seems key to the larger situation. I think that is how we find courage.
While I will never understand the culture that glorifies weapons and the ownership of weapons, I do understand this quilt. Intense statement.
Art saves, yes it does.
Although the reason for this quilt is so terribly sad, I'm glad you were able to express yourself so beautifully with this piece. Your ability to channel your feelings in this way is amazing. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Candy
What color thread did you use to quilt this wonderful piece and was the same thread used for the bobbin??
What color thread did you use to quilt this wonderful piece and was the same thread used for the bobbin??
I love that you channel your feelings and energy into creating. That is exactly how so many of us incorporate sewing and needle arts into our lives. Of course, many will take on a project filled with beauty just for the healing benefits of focusing on beauty. I support that just as much as I support your choices and all choices made by those who are called to speak out.
Lately, I am working with ugly fabrics as a way of exploring & expressing myself in new ways. It is helping me work through difficult feelings and actually provides great comfort. I am so glad to see quilting used for self expression!
In response to Anon, who said, "if they take away our 2nd amendment rights you will see more bloodshed than you have ever seen in your life. You can delete my post, but I hope you remember what I said". posted at April 22, 2013 at 10:58 AM
This sounds like a threat from people will rise up to shoot and kill those in government. Is that really what you see on the horizon? The vast majority of people want to find ways to make the country a safer place, without taking away 2nd amendment rights.
I don't understand where such extreme view points come from.
If a segment of American society chooses to initiate bloodshed in response to actions performed in a democracy, I wonder if that isn't called treason.
And you are right, we would be in a miserable place if it ever came to that. What a sad point of view.
Thank you for sharing- this is an amazing quilt. Speaks volumes to me.
WOW...just wow! I am late to this because I had to stay away from social media the last week. I was so disturbed. I am so glad you channeled your feelings and energy into this quilt. Really fabulous. I also am in awe of the respectful way you treated Anonymous. We CAN agree to disagree. I find it interesting though, how the same people that tell us how our military fought for our freedoms and cite the 2nd Amendment are at the same time so willing to take away your 1st Amendment right to express yourself. You have my utter respect.
Hi Lynn, I suggest you read this article in the Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-18/news/chi-the-failure-of-gun-control-in-australia-20130118_1_gun-control-mandatory-gun-gun-deaths
Here is an exerpt:
Researchers at the University of Melbourne, however, found no such improvement as a result of the new system. "There is little evidence to suggest that it had any significant effects on firearm homicides or suicides," they wrote.
Howard says the country has had no mass shootings since 1996. But mass shootings are such a tiny share of all homicides that any connection may be purely a matter of chance.
We learned from the 1994 assault weapons ban that modest gun control measures don't work. What Australia suggests is that even if radical ones could be passed, they wouldn't work either.
Mego, I never even hinted at wanting to take away anyone's right to express themselves any way they wish and I'm very glad that Jacquie has the ability and need to express herself through her quilts. However, I also have the right to express my opinions but I have been put down many times on this forum for my opinion.. so you tell me who's 1st amendment rights have been stomped on?
One must "own" their opinion. No hiding. Jacquie you have so owned your feelings and have no fear in standing for wht you believe! Thanks for that.
I don't believe anyone here is stomping on anyone. We have opinions on this issue and about each other's responses. They are being stated here. Let's play nicely. No one has said you can't express what you believe. I'd appreciate if you wouldn't share links in the comments. I've left the last two, but people can go and research on their own.
oh, jacquie... this is a reminder to me of my role in discussions that i have with friends and neighbors... that discussion goes such a long way in beginning to understand each other. and this quilt... stopped me in my tracks... made me shiver with chills. thank you.
Anonymous--at the risk of sounding patronizing, you sound very afraid. Don't you see that the rest of us are afraid? Or I'll speak for myself--I'm afraid that if restrictions aren't put on guns, I, my family, the people I know, more children and innocent people will die because of guns. You are afraid, I'm guessing, that if restrictions are put on guns, They/we are going to take away all your guns that you think are keeping you safe (which is statistically debatable, that they keep you safe but that's beside the point).
I haven't heard anyone here say that that should happen, or the people in power in the govenment say that should happen, that anyone will take your guns. Only the people owned by the gun manufacturers say that will happen--the NRA, the Senators who voted against resgistration, etc. Why are you guys listening to them? They are making things worse, much much worse.
And the 2nd Amendment? Amendments can be amended, and they have been in the past. They are not set in stone. That one was written under hugely different circumstances that those men would not even know what to do with today. Or maybe they would wonder why we are waiting so long to do something about it, none of us can know.
Sara, thanks for your input. You're right.. I am scared that our guns will be taken away. It is already illegal to own a gun in New York and in Chicago the laws are so strict that it has almost come to that there. So, it can and possibly will happen that guns will be taken away from law abiding citizens in this country just as it has happened in Australia. And statistically, it hasn't made Australia (or New York or Chicago) more safe.
Let me ask you this... if an armed person broke into your home and threatened your family at gun point, what would you do? Hide under the bed? Throw something at them? Threats like this happen every day. I know what I would do.. I would do everything in my power to protect my family. I have taken defensive handgun classes and would have no problem aiming my gun at a bad guy. I sleep a little better at night knowing I could defend myself if I had to.
One thing I know for sure, is that if there did come a day when they took away our guns, the bad guys would still have them, and that scares me most of all.
It is important to understand that Chicago is not an island. Although Chicago has historically had strict gun laws, laws in the surrounding parts of Illinois are much laxer — enabling middlemen to supply the criminals in Chicago with guns they purchased elsewhere. Forty three percent of the guns seized by law enforcement in Chicago were originally purchased in other parts of Illinois. And even if the state had stricter gun laws, Illinois is not an island either. The remaining fifty seven percent of Chicago guns all came from out of state, most significantly from nearby Indiana and distant Mississippi.
Anonymous--
First, I try to make it hard for someone to break into my house. I try to not have things in my house someone would want to break in for. And I don't think having guns I'm trying to locate, put bullets in, aim, get my family out of the way out of, makes things safer. I myself would say "Take what you want, here, I'll give you whatever you want". No, being robbed would not make me want to go buy a gun. A person who robbed a car was chased, shot and killed by police on the front doorstep of the house directly across the alley from me, the whole shebang. At no point did my husband and I turn to each other and say "Whoa! We better get a gun!".
Statistically, my understanding is that what happens with these guns people have in their houses is often not good at all, and people who think they are all ready with their gun for a crisis are not. Statistically, your chances of someone who lives in the house getting hurt goes up, someone on the block getting hurt, suicide, etc. Again, if all you are listening to are the people who sell guns or who are given money by those people, remember they are motivated to make you think you are crazy to not have guns, to be armed at all times. There are lots of reasons having guns is not a good idea, and statistics to go with those reasons. The more guns people have in general, the more guns bad guys are going to have, that's for sure. Statistics have to do with facts, not emotions. The non-gun people I know are much more afraid of the NRA and gun manufacturers and the fear they instill in people like you, who I probably would actually like as a neighbor, than we are of being robbed in our houses.
I'm not talking about being robbed. I don't care about 'stuff' but I do care about my family. Robbery is not the only reason people break into homes.. or attack people on the street. Responsible citizens with guns know how to use them properly and practice regularly. I don't advocate that everyone should have a gun. Only those who are willing to take responsibility for their guns, know how and when to shoot them and teach their kids about gun safety. If you were properly trained to use a gun, you wouldn't be searching for the gun after someone breaks into your house.
If there had been one or more trained, responsible gun-carrying citizens present during the Tucson shooting, the outcome would have been very different.
I'm a little offended that you would think that the only reason I would want a gun is because I've been brainwashed by gun sellers or the NRA. Responsible gun owners have guns for a reason.. be it for sport, hunting, competitions, or self defense.. and they are right to demand their right to own them.
Anonymous...no one thinks you're 'stupid'. Many of us just don't agree with your conclusion and that's fine. I have been quite taken with the tenor of this discussion. One thing I will correct you on is that New York did not make it 'illegal' to own guns. They passed a very restrictive gun policy. IF you can pass a background check (and yes it's quite extensive) you can own a gun. We own guns (my husband is a hunter), can pass a background check and used to belong to the NRA. BOTH my son and daughter took the safety course. We quit because the rhetoric got in the way of the mission. Never did I feel that my rights were being taken away.
Mego, I'm very glad to hear that you are a responsible gun owner. I have one question for you. If someone were to threaten you or your family with bodily harm using a firearm, would you or your husband defend yourself with your gun?
Anon. My answer has to be 'it depends'. I would do almost anything to protect my family. One of the ways I protect my family is to not have a loaded gun in the house. We do not own hand guns. We own hunting rifles. All that being said, IF we were hunting AND someone tried to harm us, then yes, I could defend myself and my family.
You are such a great talent! Your more harsh pieces are really museum pieces, like in Washington! We have different beliefs about handgun's but I see the pain I feel over Boston when I see your quilt! Thank you for bring it to the surface!
But Anon, you sound like you want your guns because you're afraid someone's going to break into youre house and attack you. Isn't that what you now are saying? I'm confused by how you have been portraying yourself here. And be honest, who do you read/listen to/are you influenced by other than pro-gun people? I myself read the literature on both sides so I know what I'm dealing with. Do know what the reasons are that police have problems at the sites of shootings with civilians being armed?
That an armed civilian in Tucson admits that he came very close to shooting the person who had taken the gun out of the shooter's hands? You may be trained, but because there is so little regulation right now, people with almost no training can carry guns around in public and decide to intervene in some altercation the police are trying to take care of. That does not make me feel safer. That should not make you feel safer.
And Mego--gun owners like you give me hope right now, like the board member of the NRA who is a hunter and just quit after decades because he said the NRA is off the rails. I look to you guys to bring sanity to the conversation, and you did. And Jacquie won't have to worry that you are stockpiling assault rifles in your basement that are going to end up on the streets of Chicago when they get stolen. She can just make another tulip quilt.:) Sara
As an Australian, I would like to comment on Anonymous's "facts" about Australia.
To start with, "facts" can be read in a hundred different ways, and just because one or two people make a "factual" statement, that does not necessarily mean it is true. One needs to look into who these factual people are, and who they represent, for starters.
In my lifetime, there have been many amnesties here in Australia, where people who had UNregistered firearms, were asked to turn them in and no-one would ask any questions. I can recall it happening at least three times through the years.
Responsible people who handed their weapons in, did so with no problems.
There will always be people who will obtain firearms illegally. Noi law can stop that. All the law can hoep to do is keep some form of order and control.
Please do not use Australia to back up your beliefs, because you are taking everything said out of context.
Thats it, thanks for reading
Jacquie, your quilt is powerful and a great statement. Thank you for all you are doing, both with your artistic work and activism.
I just wanted to back up Shaz - I am Australian too, and I can assure everyone that is IS possible to own a gun here. Yes we have background checks and laws about where and how you must keep your guns, and restrictions on the types of guns you can own. But many people have guns. Of course our gun laws have not got rid of all violent crime, there will always be bad people or mentally unstable people who find their way around laws. However I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of Australians were and are still in favour of our gun laws.
I also agree with Shaz that's it's possible to make the 'facts' say just about anything if you pick and choose carefully.
I don't live in fear that someone will break into my house, but if it ever happened, my family and I would survive. I am influenced by people I feel have a good understanding of what is happening in the world and I logically make a choice to listen to them. These people consist of my family and friends and other like minded people. I am not ignorantly following someone that is trying to brainwash others. This just makes sense to me, just as the people you listen to and are influenced by make sense to you. I assure you I'm not uninformed or brainwashed... I just believe what I believe... just like you do.
Of course, I understand that if a policeman comes upon a crime scene he wouldn't know who the bad guys are if more than one person has a gun and I would expect them to treat everyone as a bad guy. That is perfectly understandable, but that shouldn't keep someone from responding in an emergency situation if they could help with a firearm.
I would like to thank Jacquie for letting us vent and discuss this subject on her blog. It's been interesting and informative.
I would like to leave with a quote from a friend of mine that just 'makes sense' to me.
" The Nazis understood the effectiveness of using authority to manage average people who were reluctant to believe that the regime would ultimately harm them. The Warsaw Ghetto, where the Nazis segregated Polish Jews before sending most of them to die in Treblinka during WWII is a good example. Initially the Jews vastly outnumbered their Nazi overlords yet these people complied with the edicts imposed upon them, thinking it wise to do so – until it was too late. The same was true of the Russians who were murdered under Stalin, the Cambodians under Pol Pot, the Rwandan Tutsis under the Hutus, and every other example of the imposition of tyranny.
Don’t think it could happen here?"
Thanks, and be safe.
To Anonymous B,
I have been captivated by the all the responses here. First, Jacquie your quilt is a strong reflection of what is going on in our world, and our nation is in a sad state of affairs.
I don’t understand why there are such extremes. Our laws are based on the principle of serving the greater good. Gun laws are a good thing. I myself am not one for guns, but it is because I just don’t have an interest in them, but I know plenty of people who are and they are responsible people who have all the safety checks in place with their guns, etc. Maybe the senate would pass this if there were not so many extraneous items attached to the bill. You state protecting your family is a priority, which I completely agree with, but being a “gun owner” and killing someone is completely different. Anyone can say I am ready to kill anyone who will cause harm to my family, but what about the consequences? Taking a life should not be taken lightly, and I don’t think anybody knows how they would feel emotionally after that. I don’t think taking away guns is the answer, but I do feel stricter guns laws, background checks are mandatory. What I do think is we need to get back to basics. Family structure, love, values, respect for oneself and others. It has been very interesting reading everyone’s opinions.
Thank you for your quilt "Aftermath" it really sums it all up - my daughter was there on the finish line volunteering at the medical tent and what she remembers most is the explosion, and the blood on the streets, on the doctor who had just finished running the marathon and then ran into the medical tent threw on gloves and went to work. All of the first responders need a huge round of applause for their heroic efforts that day. I agree with another post - "Aftermath" should be hung in front of all of the law makers to make it real for them.
I really felt the emotion you packed into this quilt. It can be hard to make a quilt like this or any form of art, but I think that artistic expression is an important part of handling heavy issues.
Post a Comment