Tears in heaven

“God doesn't promise an easy journey, just a safe place to land.” 

―Kirk Spencer

By Alex P. Vidal

I HAVEN’T seen so many news anchor and field reporters in the United States cry while delivering the story of a massacre “live” on prime time. 

I, myself, was also moved to tears while watching some of the long-running follow-up episodes of the most recent school shooting in Ovalde, Texas these past three days.

Even the male journalists who are supposed to be stronger emotionally, couldn’t stop their tears as the photos of the victims were flashed on TV while their parents were grieving. 

Media people are actually trained to control their emotions while performing their duties, but sometimes, because we are only humans, we can’t fake what we feel inside us while doing our tasks.

For instance, of all the 213 mass shootings in the United States in 2022 alone—and, perhaps, all the mass shootings recorded in America since 2009–the school shooting in Ovalde, Texas that killed 21 people on May 24, was probably the most agonizing and hard to forget.

It’s because 19 of the dead were fourth grade students with ages from 9 to 10 and the circumstances of their killing were so grotesque and hideous.

One of the children killed, a girl, reportedly tried to call 911 on her own phone but was peppered by bullets before she could complete the call.

All were maimed by bullets fired by an 18-year-old killer from a powerful assault firearm made to destroy, not just to kill, according to reports.

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Mass shootings involving assault weapons or high-capacity magazines are always far deadlier.

When assault weapons and high-capacity magazines were used in mass shootings, records showed they resulted in far more deaths and injuries. Like the one that happened in Ovalde, Texas where the crime was perpetrated randomly inside the classroom.

Between 2009 and 2022, the five deadliest mass shooting incidents in the US all involved the use of assault weapons and/or high-capacity magazines: Las Vegas, Orlando, Newtown, Sutherland Springs, and El Paso, according to records from Every Town Research.

Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines were disproportionately used in public mass shootings. 

Of the shootings with known weapon type, 76 percent of those that involved an assault weapon and/or high-capacity magazine occurred in public compared to 44 percent of those that involved a handgun.

Every Town Research defines a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people are shot and killed, excluding the shooter.

By this definition, the United States experiences an average of 19 mass shootings every year, ranging from 15 in 2010 and in 2014 to a high of 24 in both 2011 and 2013. 

However, there exists no consensus on the definition of a mass shooting. 

Counts under other definitions range from a dozen per year to nearly one mass shooting every day depending on factors such as casualty thresholds or whether the mass shooting was in public or not.

By any count, the number of mass shootings that plague this country is far too high, and the counts are just a small fraction of the lives left forever changed after the tragedy of a mass shooting.

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When Eric Clapton’s four-year-old child, Conor, fell to his death from the 53rd-floor residence here in the Midtown Manhattan (a few blocks away from where I stay during weekend) in 1991, he composed the hit song, “Tears in Heaven.”

Though it achieved incredible international success, the creation of the song, like many adored ballads and laments, was heavily influenced by the emotional state of its creator.

It arose out of Clapton’s pain following the accidental death of Conor and it is infused it with all the loss, heartache and longing of a grieving parent:

Would you know my name?

If I saw you in heaven

Would it be the same?

If I saw you in heaven

I must be strong

And carry on

'Cause I know I don't belong

Here in heaven

Would you hold my hand?

If I saw you in heaven

Would you help me stand?

If I saw you in heaven

I'll find my way

Through night and day

'Cause I know I just can't stay

Here in heaven

Time can bring you down

Time can bend your knees

Time can break your heart

Have you begging please

Begging please

Beyond the door

There's peace, I'm sure

And I know there'll be no more

Tears in heaven

Would you know my name?

If I saw you in heaven

Would you be the same?

If I saw you in heaven

I must be strong

And carry on

'Cause I know I don't belong

Here in heaven

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)