Four people have died this week in my small city. Four people have died from male violence.
One was a man who was killed by his girlfriend's brother, after he and his buddy beat her up and then broke into the brother's house chasing her down. I'll leave him for now.
The other three were three young girls whose father slit their throats, then called his estranged wife to tell her "You can come home now because I killed the kids".
I'm a man. God damn it - what the fuck is wrong with men?
I mentioned this was mourning and ranting, and I'm maybe not particularly coherent. I don't want to be the kind of diarist that writes about lurid crimes. Like many in my city, I'm in shock. I didn't know the three girls. But they went to the same elementary school, a few blocks down the street, as my daughters did just a few years ago.
Amara, 11, Sophie, 8, and Cecilia, 5. Three smart, beautiful girls who will never grow up. Who will never run, play soccer, or climb trees again.
Why do men think it's OK to do violence against women? To kill their own children just to wreck their vengeance upon the mother of their children?
I don't have much to add. I've got to head out soon. I'm just angry and raw. And determined that I am going to stand up against anyone who thinks that violence of any kind against women is funny, or normal, or acceptable.
Tomorrow, there is a parade in town. I'm not sure many people are in the mood for a parade.