R.I.P.

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

Here we are again. A heartbreaking, senseless event that requires a sensible response. It’s frustrating and disgusting that we’ve started to develop rituals and routines for responding to gun massacres. We hash out the semantics of words like “terrorist” or suss out the slippery threads of motivation. I’m so sick of this shit.

One difference this time is that the massacre happened in Nevada. Nevadans died, and the killer was a Nevadan. Many of us in the north knew people who were attending that concert in Las Vegas on Sunday night where at least 59 lives were ended and where hundreds more were injured. It feels close to home. But that doesn’t really matter.

What matters is that we—Americans—need to do something to prevent these massacres from happening again anywhere in the country. Two things need to happen: 1. Better funding and access for mental health care. 2. Sensible gun control legislation. It should be harder to get a gun—especially an automatic weapon—and easier to get mental health care. It’s that simple.

Before Sunday night, I had planned to use this space to hype the awards the RN&R won at this year’s Nevada Press Association awards banquet, but that’ll have to wait ’til next week. I’d much rather write about that. Or write about the gorgeous fall weather, the nasty allergens in the air, the stupid, petty strip club controversy, the newest beers, the baseball postseason, Halloween, bar crawls or pot shops. I’d rather commemorate a beloved musician who passed away after a long, successful career.

R.I.P. Tom Petty.

And R.I.P. to all those folks who had their lives stolen from them on Sunday night.

Something’s gotta give.