In the last few days, one of the most toxic symptoms of societal sickness flared up here in the US of A. This particular red flag reminder of our illness was once again on full display at Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island. I am referring to the latest incident of a mass shooting. Two Brown students died and several others were wounded when the now well-known term “active shooter” became a waking nightmare on that campus. The perpetrator of this assault on civility has yet to be apprehended.

This tragedy occurred on December 13. As the news coverage unfolded, hour by hour, news reporters eventually–and at this point expectedly–took note of the absurd commonality of such an outrageous event. Mass shootings average a little more than one a day in the United States. Let that sink in. Brown’s entry into the active shooter file specific to those happening at schools was followed by the thirteenth anniversary of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, in Newtown Connecticut.

Sandy Hook is now not just the name of that school, but a name that for millions of a certain age look back on now with growing exasperation, outrage and anger. How could it not? However, Brown’s tragedy, while triggering fresh disgust and revulsion, almost exactly 13 years after Sandy hook now likely also conjures up a large dose of resignation. That is to say, resignation regarding our country’s seeming unwillingness to enact much stronger, much more regorously monitored access to weapons of virtually any caliber and size, especially the dreaded assault rifle used in many of the mass shootings.

Resignation. As in expecting more mass shootings. And that assertion regarding mass shootings now being less and less unusual, less lingering in their shock value derives from December 14, 2012. At Sandy Hook Elementary. That incident was incredibly shocking, stomach-turning and beyond belief: Twenty first graders, either six or seven years young had their bodies ripped open and apart by semi-automatic weapons. Six adults, all faculty or staff, also died in the assault. That first grade classroom became a kill zone that sent shock waves far and wide. How could it not? That the shooter was profoundly deranged but still able to have access to the weapons used to carry out the carnage would dictate and demand more stringent gun laws. Enough is enough, already!

Of course! Congress. Stand up to the NRA. These were little children. At school. Can you not now grow a spine and do all you can to make this type of senseless slaughter very unlikely to ever occur again?

Congress’s response was to do…nothing. Nothing.

My interpretation of that political nothingness was that barring an overthrow of our entire government, no future mass killings using bullets of varying size and deadliness would make any difference to elected officials. The unspoken message to an outraged population outside of the Beltway was, we make a lot of money by keeping the status quo. We have been bought and paid for by the gun lobby. Sorry, but money talks.

As a result, subsequent mass shootings by lunatics–many of whom in spite of overt mental illnesses–are going to happen. The crazed shooters in many cases (almost all men pulling the trigger) obtained their firepower legally.

So now, there is danger everywhere. What area of daily life is safe? In some cases, gunfire misses its target and goes into someone’s home, killing a father or mother or an infant.

Places of worship have been shot apart.

So too, shopping malls; convenient stores, department stores, offices, warehouses; public spaces; healthcare facilities; movie theaters; civic buildings; restaurants, bars; nightclubs, outdoor music festivals; or simply anyone simply walking to any to of the above established kill zones.

We are a gun crazed country. And have been since long before becoming right now an entirely crazed country with a crazed, very dangerous government.

When and how this dread is rendered null and void is very uncertain. Worse case scenario is an armed resistance. If it devolves into that revolutionary level of throws the bums out, rest assured, it will not be difficult getting guns, guns, guns. Every make or model. Military grade hardware. That assurance of easy access to arms was written in the spilt blood of those first graders at Sandy Hook.