Preventing a Tragedy

          A Missouri man planned to go on a killing spree at the premiere of Breaking Dawn Part 2 at his local theater in Bolivar, MO, as an article by Larry McShane explained. The homicidal Blaec Lammers purchased two assault riffles in preparation for his plot. Lammers, being treated for a mental illness, bought the two guns legally. The fact that he could get the guns so easily while having a mental illness is making some Americans begin to question if mentally ill citizens should be able to buy guns without any precautions taken for their safety. Lammers eventually decided to change the location of his murder spree to Walmart, where he could “break the glass where ammunition is being stored” after he shot his supply of 400 bullets. His mother,  thwarted his plans, an act of bravery, by telling the police when she discovered his purchases. Blaec had never shot a gun before, raising the suspicions of his mother.

          The plan of Blaec Lammers is horrifically similar to the tragedy of the Aurora, Colorado shooting during the Dark Knight Rises, the finale of the Batman trilogy. James Holmes killed 12 people and injured 58 more this summer. He also has a mental illness. James Holmes had no reason to kill the people he killed, and had no right to do what he did. Lammers had bought weapons similar to those Holmes used to attack the theater with. His mother saved a great number of people by speaking up against her son. She did the right thing. As America continues to face tragedies like this, the citizens must learn to embrace their bravery.

Shake It Out

           In Florence & the Machine's song “Shake It Out”, Florence Welch describes how regrets from the past are always at the back of one's mind, and affect the way a person thinks and makes decisions in the present. A person's past can be a burden, but a person learns from their mistakes and regrets.

In the first verse, Florence speaks of how “regrets collect like old friends,” and how they “relive your darkest moments.” That is true for many people. Thinking of regrets tends to bring up a whole cluster of regretful moments, not just one. Florence also talks about how she'd “like to keep some things to myself.” That is usually true about one who feels they have made mistakes in their life. If they see something they have done as a mistake, they usually think of it as a flaw they have in their judgment, and something they could be judged for by others.

          In the second verse, Florence compares her past to a horse that she is always dragging around behind her. This is a good comparison. A person's past is always in the back of their mind, affecting how they perceive things and how they make decisions. Things people have done to them in their past can lead them to be distrustful of others. However, past mistakes can also lead a person to become wiser, and give them better perspective about the choices they have, and the right decisions to make.

          Florence then tells how she is “gonna bury that horse in the ground.” Many people would like to bury their past. If the past was forgotten, people would feel as if nothing could hold them back from doing the things they wish. But eventually, a person would make mistake after mistake, without even realizing what they are doing is not the right thing. If a person did not have their past mistakes to learn from, they would not realize they needed to learn from the things they do.

          In the chorus, she sings “It's hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off.” She is comparing our past to the “devil on your back.” In some circumstances, it is okay to shake the past off. It can be good to shake some things off and act without thinking of the past sometimes. But the past is always part of a person. No matter how much a person tries to forget mistakes and painful memories, the past can never truly be erased. 

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