Just back from the Virginia Pride event in Richmond.
Brown's Island right in the middle of the city. Blazing hot day. No shade. No wind.
I'm a salty dog right now.
The point of this post is two fold. My wife and I signed for two candidates to get on the Virginia primary ballot.
We've been having family discussions for two weeks about this event. A lot of my daughter's friends are gay. She wanted to support them and it IS a lot of fun. My wife has been a nervous wreck about this. It really is a really open target AND it's on an island (60 yards I'd say in the river). With all the shootings she didn't want our daughter to go with friends. WE had to be there.
At first as we walked in on one of the three foot bridges I saw a police presence. I never saw them again. Now 2 hours later we are near the stage, blasting music as the drag show is going on (FUN!), and a train starts coming by. This is Richmond - the elevated train was so close you could easily throw a rock and hit it. Lots of noise. Too much noise. If IT were to happen this would be the prime time. Suddenly my heads on a swivel. Scoping everything I can think of. I can see my daughter.
I'm glad we were determined not to live in fear but sadly this is the world we live in.