If not now, WHEN?

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These boys, girls and women were killed on Friday morning by a gunman shooting his mother's semi-automatic rifle, first in his home and then in the Sandy Hook Elementary School in northern Connecticut. Anyone who has ever seen a classroom filled with first grade students can close their eyes and see their beautiful faces, ready smiles and utter innocence. This is a tragedy of unimaginable proportions. Even as I join the many voices crying for gun control today, I cannot stop thinking of these children. They are with me night and day.

As a meditation on their lives, I invite you to do what I just did and go to my photo portfolio called The Space Between: remember the children.

And then I beg you to do whatever you can to stop this madness. A good first step is to donate money to the hardworking folks at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Then send an email to President Obama urging him to lead the fight for serious gun control that will protect our children. Next, contact your senators and representatives (federal and state) and urge them to propose bills to control the sale and use of guns, and outlaw semi-automatic weapons for civilians. Write a letter to the editor of national and local newspapers about this issue, and get the word out on Facebook and Twitter. And, finally, talk with friends, family and co-workers about the need to stand up to the NRA and protect our kids.

I ask you, if not now, WHEN?

12-12-12

"12 Seen With Fresh Eyes"
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Rarely do we
recognize
the last time we
will see a person,
place or event.
Instead we go
through life
thinking it will
go on forever
just as it is
today. We walk
blindly, eyes
on our iPhone,
checking facebook,
twitter and texts,
ignoring the smile
we will
long to see
in the years,
or even days,
to come.

12-12-12...
This date we
know we will
never
see
again.
Precious,
unique,
unrepeatable.

Just like
every other
day
in our
oh so short
life.

Detroit's Noel Night 2012

Willis Street at Cass, Noel Night 2012
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Yes, people are comfortable walking on Detroit's streets at night...50,000 of them in fact. That was the estimate of visitors to Midtown Detroit's annual Noel Night this year. Mild weather didn't hurt. But even on cold snowy Noel Nights, the crowds have always been huge. And a large percentage of those crowds are families with children.

For 40 years the first Saturday in December has been known as Noel Night in Midtown Detroit's Cultural Center area. Every year more museums, galleries, restaurants, shops and even hair salons participate. This year there were over 70 participating places with performances by music, theater and dance groups. And it is all free!

Detroit has so many problems. Even people in other countries know that. But what they seem to miss is that we have lots of fun together too. My portfolio of photos, "The Detroit I Know and Love" shows my long-time love affair with this city and its people.

"Vision In a Cornfield" installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), Noel Night 2012

Detroit Historical Museum, Noel Night 2012