Obligatory Election Post

On Halloween I was out trick-or-treating in my neighborhood with my family when we heard the pop of five or six firecrackers in rapid succession. At least we hoped they were firecrackers. But the cruiser that tore down 24th Ave toward Garfield High School a few minutes later suggested otherwise.

Next morning the CD News had the story: at 8:30pm on 25th Ave behind Garfield, a sixteen-year-old boy shot in the head and killed, and a fifteen year-old-boy wounded with bullet to the stomach. The murdered boy’s short life had been troubled.

Four nights later at around the same time, the sound of firecrackers rings out and my 7-year old daughter asks “daddy was that gunshots?” No, I explain, people are excited about Obama, and they’re setting off fireworks.

Here’s to hope.