Endless Cycle of Tragedy

Yesterday, the US Senate went to recess. While a decision like this would usually be met with criticism, this happened for a very understandable reason. Keep in mind that the US Capitol is less than two miles from the Navy Yard.

Here's what Senator Harry Reid (D) had to say when he announced the recess.



And that's not the only local aspect of this story. Don Andres is on Rep. Steven Horsford's (D-North Las Vegas) DC staff. He also lives near the Navy Yard, so he was eyewitness to the terror that fell upon his neighborhood. He spoke with MSNBC's Chris Hayes about what he experienced yesterday morning.

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What happened yesterday was horrific. And it was quite saddening. However, it wasn't all that shocking.

Six of the twelve deadliest mass shootings in US history have occurred in just the past six years. Think about it. Oh, and three of those mass shootings have occurred just in the last fourteen months: the Aurora, Colorado, theater massacre; the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut; and yesterday's Navy Yard massacre in Washington, D.C.

We're now staring down an endless cycle of tragedy, yet all we hear from the gun lobby is ruthless spin. When will the madness end? When will more elected "leaders" actually develop the courage to lead?

In so many other ways, we take precautionary measures to prevent horrific tragedies like the one that happened yesterday in DC. Yet when it comes to the most basic precautionary measures, "we can't go there" because they're "too controversial". And the endless cycle of tragedy continues... (Until we can finally agree to do something to stop it. When will that happen?)