Thoughts & prayers & threats real and imagined

I was greatly relieved to learn, while reading The Register this morning, that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has been praying about the shooting near East High School in Des Moines on Monday.

"I'm praying for the victims of this senseless act of violence," her statement read. "I am heartbroken for the families and the pain felt across the entire community."

A 15-year-old is dead, two teens wounded (one critically) and six more teen-agers charged with arming themselves, organizing and participating in the drive-by shooting.

No word yet from Mrs. Reynolds' Republican colleagues, currently in the majority in both Iowa's House of Representatives and Senate.

Prayer certainly can't hurt in a situation like this and perhaps they will join in --- even though this approach seems, as Granny would have said, about as helpful as a tit on a bull.

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Both Republican lawmakers and the governor have rushed to the front lines during the last year or so and responded bravely to imaginary challenges facing Iowa youngsters. When confronted with a real challenge --- gun violence --- a similar response seems unlikely.

Think back to June of 2021 when Mrs. Reynolds signed into law a measure forbidding the teaching of critical race theory in Iowa classrooms and during state-sponsored diversity training.

Critical race theory is an arcane and advanced academic theory sometimes studied at university level in courses examining how slavery has influenced the development of various U.S. institutions, including its laws. Never been taught, or even considered, in Iowa below the graduate school level.

But restricting classroom discussion of race, gender and sexual identity allows Iowa law to serve the useful purpose of helping to prevent heterosexual white folks, especially the patriarchs, from having their feelings hurt.

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Last week, Gov Reynolds signed into law a measure that prevents transgender girls and women from participating in girls and womens athletic programs.

A few Iowa school districts apparently had fielded teams that included trans girls, but no one had reported issues because of it, suggesting that local school districts, when left to their own devices, were capable of dealing with any situations that might arise.

But again, the Legislature rushed in to offer a solution when a problem didn't exist, one that allows heterosexual, male lawmakers to pat themselves on the back for protecting their little women.

No legislative restrictions were placed on trans boys and men. Apparently its OK to be a man but a threat to be a woman. Interesting that.

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President Biden then aggravated Iowa Republicans --- challenged in their response by the fact so many of their constituents are heavily armed --- by praying, too. "Jill and I pray for his (the victim's) family and for everyone impacted by yet another senseless act of gun violence," the president wrote in a Tuesday evening statement.

And then he mentioned the elephant in the room, suggesting that gun violence, actual and potential, is a real problem in Iowa schools and elsewhere.

"We are grateful to Des Moines law enforcement and first responders for their quick work and professionalism. But these swift arrests cannot obscure the reality that too many families have had to bury a piece of their soul after yet another tragic shooting."