As you know, this Monday and Tuesday, I closed up shop. The folks here at Cheap Phone Sex are huge supporters of the Armed Forces and living here in the DC Metro area we have many friends and family members who work as active duty military, reservists and civilian employees/contractors. Needless to say, the shooting affected everyone here.
Let me tell you what happened. Early Monday morning I was on the phone with my cousin planning a family memorial service. As we were wrapping up the meeting I walked into the living room and noticed the local news was reporting a shooting in the area and the shooter(s) were at large. I could hear sirens in the distance so I brought in the dogs, locked all the doors and windows and began calling people on my emergency call list. My family serves in every branch, located on multiple bases and at any given time living and working within several countries. Whenever there is a shooting or event involving military personnel or installation my family and I begin calling everyone on our list to essentially do a headcount.
Many people living here said Monday was reminiscent of 9/11 in that several law enforcement agents were on the ground locked and loaded. It was kind of weird watching a guy in shades walk around with a submachine gun. The difference, of course, was that because of 9/11 a plan was in place. The DC schools were on lockdown, the federal buildings were also on lockdown and the DC Police department led the hunt.
My only disappointment is that on the internet people who obviously do not live here tried to use this opportunity to poke fun at the President and make light of the deaths of 12 Americans. I will say this: mass shootings are not funny and when it is going on that is most certainly not the time to score political points. No one on the ground was talking about gun safety or gun ownership. I have a rare blood type. My concern was getting to the Red Cross and donating blood. Others with connections to the Navy Yard were frantically dialing the hotline praying that the dead did not include their friend or family member.
Sometimes when stuff like this is going on the best thing to do is to STFU.
The names of the dead are here.
Cheap Phone Sex is back on the usual schedule.