Monday we had a gun rights rally on the Capitol. It brought back memories…
Bad ones.
I was charge nurse the night of the Charlottesville riot. Some of the people that were hit by the maniac that drove through the crowd were on our unit. Knowing that hatred could drive someone to kill, knowing that an innocent woman died because of hatred, it killed me inside. As a black woman, I know all too well what hatred can do.
I just didn’t want to see it all happen again.
Luckily, the state was prepared this time and declared a “state of emergency” before the rally. This led to increased security and a ban on weapons on Capitol grounds. So far, the rally has not resulted in any injuries. Weapons were out and people were walking around in full tactical gear. That nut job Alex Jones even made an appearance.
No one has been hurt.
That’s what I care about most of all. No one was hurt. Everyone gets to go home and back to whatever “normal” life they have.
As a nurse, rallies, protests, hell even large gatherings have a different meaning to me. I see potential mass casualty. I see potential chaos. I see potential patients.
That day in Charlottesville fundamentally changed me.
Barely Sane Nurse 