Beauticians, Racism, Immigration and Gun Control

This might be a little sketchy.. I'm not quite awake yet. The coffee is perking.. no wait.. it doesn't do that anymore does it? Oh yeah.. the coffee is dripping. Or oozing. Hell I don't care as long as there's coffee when it stops doing whatever the heck it's doing.

I went out into civilization after work yesterday for a hair cut and to pick up a cake. The salon I normally go to is one of the walk-in variety, so I usually have to wait but this time I lucked out. There wasn't a soul inside. I recognized the hairdresser as the same one who cut my locks the last time that I was really happy with my cut.

Oh things were going well. Too well. You'd think I'd have learned by now.

The stylist cut and asked questions, cut some more. She told me about the good looking, single doctor who lived just up the road and how she'd just cut his hair earlier that day, how she'd had it with men and the last one had turned her against ever having a relationship again. There was a pause in the cutting and styling when the phone rang. I giggled as I listened to her explain to a very concerned mom whose son had given himself blue streaks that no.. that particular type of hair color doesn't wash out. While this was going on, another stylist in the shop took a break from sweeping and turned the volume up on the television. I heard "hostages" and "shooter."

Oh holy hell... not again.

I couldn't see the set from where I was, so I had to depend on stylist number two to give me the details. It's a good thing she chose beautician and not news reporter for a career choice.. "They said somethin' 'bout a FEEmale.. an somethin' 'bout some buddy 'scapin'.. they said it's at the Nasaw down in Texas.. whoooo dang.. I dunno what'sa goin on!!!"

Gawd.

I was thankful when my stylist got off the phone, maybe I could get some details. Her co-worker proceeded to relate the story to her in the same manner she had to me and when it was all said and done, we really didn't know anymore than we had before. So I'm sitting there with a wet, partially styled head, watching her work in the mirror, making sure she didn't get carried away and send me out of there with a crew cut when she suddenly throws her hands up in the air and says, "Every day it's something! What is it this time.. a Mexican? Another Chinese??"

Now why did she have to go there? Things were going so well. I think she noticed the look of horror mixed with a little pain on my face. The pain was from the severe tongue biting that I was giving myself. I couldn't say anything.. I mean.. if I told her what I thought, I could end up with a Kojak cut.

I was pleased with the style I ended up with and I did leave her a small tip, but I wish I had the cajones to say what I feel when faced with comments like that. Since I don't, I'll let it out here:

Dear Hairstylist:

I understand your frustration when psychos arm themselves and attack innocent people. I get angry as well and I know it's human nature to look for someone to blame. What you need to understand is, sometimes people are just crazy.. they snap and they hurt people. We can sit here all day and blame the bullying they received in school, their parents for not hugging them enough, drug addiction.. whatever, but is this how our emotional energy is best spent when a tragedy occurs? Wouldn't it be better used in a positive nature? Thinking of, praying for or otherwise assisting the victims of these crimes? What about the families of the accused? Can you imagine the guilt they must feel? I mean.. can you imagine??

Maybe these events are indirectly related to how these people grew up. If so, do you know a child who needs help? Maybe seems to be a bit more of a loner than most? Have you reached out to him or her? Sometimes a kind word, a little attention can do wonders. Instead of waiting until something tragic happens and as a result running around screaming about immigration laws or blaming one ethnic group or another, let's try taking positive action on a daily basis.

Since I mentioned immigration, hell I'll just cover that too. I know the laws are imperfect. I know we have problems in this country. I don't know how to fix it and I really don't need another issue to add to my list of reasons to be irritated with our government. I do know that unless you're one hundred percent American Indian, your ancestors were immigrants too. How many generations have to live on American soil before we no longer regard people as outsiders? If Jose' Lopez's parents were both born in this country and all four of his grandparents came to this country legally, then why do we start an immigration debate if he goes out and kills a convenience store clerk? We assume Jose' is an illegal immigrant, simply because of his name. My point is (there is one, I promise) that it doesn't matter what country Jose was born in if Jose is a psychopath or delusional or whatever. I mean.. if Thomas O'Malley kills an old lady in a drunken driving incident, do we start hearing "Ooooohhh those pesky Irish immigrants!!!! We need to fix our immigration laws!!!"

No we don't.

Cho had problems, he was violent, he exploded. I don't care what country he or his ancestors were from and I'm thankful that he's left this earth.

As long as individuals are permitted to obtain and own guns, we have to accept the fact that crazy people will get their hands on them and sometimes, bad things will happen. I don't like guns, but I was raised around them and we have guns in our house. I'd be happy if I never had to go near one again, but at the same time, there have been instances when I felt more secure knowing they were here. I have mixed feelings on gun control.

We can't anticipate the actions of lunatics in our society and construct a "plan" just in case they decide to carry out one of the multitudes of possible scenarios. We've already got policies and plans up the rear end, choking the life out of everything.. just in case. Right here in Frog Pond Holler, I received a letter from one of our customers requiring that all of their suppliers have an "Avian Influenza Pandemic Readiness Plan" in place by June of this year. I skipped down the hall, waving it over my head and saying, "the sky is falling.. the sky is falling!!!" It's damned ridiculous.

Dang. I'm on a tirade this morning huh?

In a nutshell, as hard as it is to swallow and accept.. sometimes shit just happens. Sometimes there's nothing that could have been done, no way it could have been anticipated. Sometimes you just have to mourn, clean up the mess and try to move on.

Love each other. Every color.

Comments welcomed.