cesimpson

Some days there are more important things to write about than training. It’s on those days, I think, that it’s hardest to start writing anything.

Basic Story

Local man walked into city council meeting in quiet, suburban Kirkwood, MO, with a .357 and killed two police officers, a city official, a city councilwoman and a city councilman. He shot the mayor in head. The mayor is in critical condition at a local hospital.

The man was then shot dead by police near the scene.

Response

A story like this can’t be adequately summed in three sentences. I’m not sure it can be told in 1000 sentences (the local news couldn’t do it…). There’s always more to the story. If you’re from around here, you likely know most of it. If you’re not from around here, you probably don’t care to know the nuances.

But even if you don’t care about the details of this incident, I think there are universal themes. How should one react to this sort of thing - something that, by almost all accounts, looks an awful lot like senseless tragedy?

I think the easy answer is to say something like, “The guy was a nut-case who did a terrible, terrible thing. He should rot in hell.”

Most times, I think, that answer is half-right. Obviously, normal people don’t generally go around blasting away their problems with a .357. There are few problems in life that can be solved by walking into a city council meeting with a high-powered revolver and pulling the trigger.

But, some sort of simple, blanket condemnation of tragedy is only half-right. The other half is much more difficult.

We should be asking, “What, if anything, could have been done to make this thing not happen?”

I pondered that question to someone as we were discussing the story. She responded wisely. “There are only two answers to that question. 1) Nothing. It was inevitable. 2) Thousands of things.” In most cases I think her #2 is the right answer.

Her next statement, I think, was not so wise. “…but it happened and we’ll never know, so it doesn’t do any good to think about it. [The shooter] did a terrible terrible thing.”

If we do as she suggested and refuse to think about what we can learn from this incident we will repeat it. It’s hard to look at failure and take something useful from it. It’s hard to look inward. It’s hard to dwell on tragedy. It’s hard to learn from death and destruction.

But it’s necessary for growth.

Strong

I needed to feel strong this morning. It wasn’t so much about the work or the goals…just feeling strong.

Squats

5×5 @ 255#

Rack Pulls from the Knee

Worked up to several singles at 455#

Weighted Chin-Ups (supinated and neutral grip)

Worked up to several singles at BW+50#