The massacre at Fort Hood -

Just cleaning things up at the end of the week, and with the news of Fort Hood breaking on the radio...

I am sitting here listening to Portishead "Third", and as I write the track "Machinegun" is playing, and the neighbours are setting fire to money again in the form of fireworks to celebrate the unsuccessful attempt by Catholic terrorists to blow up the Protestant-run English Parliament.

Machinegun

I saw a saviour
a saviour come my way
I thought I'd see it
at the cold light of day
but now I realise that I'm
Only for me

if only I could see
You turn myself to me
and recognise the poison in my heart
there is no other place
no one else I face
remedy, we'll agree, is how I feel
here in my reflecting
What more can I say?
for I am guilty
for the voice that I obey
too scared to sacrifice a choice
chosen for me

if only I could see
You turn myself to me
recognise the poison in my heart
there is no other place
no one else I face
The remedy, to agree, is how I feel

(Subject to all of the strictures of copyright etc which is why I have included the link to the source in the heading)

Those lyrics I find strangely appropriate to the sad events at Fort Hood. This was not a political or terrorist act any more than Columbine, or the Pennsylvania shootings were the work of terrorists.

It is a criminal act, carried out by a man who has to fall into at least two of the "mad, sad, bad" categories. That in no way lessens the nature of the shootings. It in no way lessens the impact on families and their community.

So that is why I put the lyrics in.

I can hear the screams of rage against all Muslims. I can imagine the more extreme wanting to lynch all of the Muslims and anyone else who dresses funny just to be sure.

I saw a saviour
a saviour come my way
I thought I'd see it
at the cold light of day
but now I realise that I'm
Only for me

If you can find a P2P copy of "Machinegun" have a listen. I enjoy Portishead's music because it makes me think