A Dark kNight in Denver

With the "Dark Knight" comes a very dark day. A little over 10 miles away from Columbine, scene of the horrific 1999 school massacre, another mass shooting has taken place. This time, a packed movie theater in Denver became the center of what had to be a terrifying event completely unimaginable.

A dark theater, a smoke bomb, shots. Then comes the realization this is not a special effect, and you are trapped by a lunatic. At this time twelve people are dead, close to forty wounded and the alleged shooter is in custody. The next few days will tell us his story. Will it be the quiet man who snapped, or the nut case everyone knew was a ticking time bomb. It doesn't matter.

In one instant, another part of mundane American life has been taken away. If it happened there, could it happen here. It is now another place where before we would go to without a thought...and now we will think about it. It took a long time after 9/11 for anyone in the New York area to go through any of the tunnels or over the bridges, without giving a double take to the rent-a-truck driving beside you. Even if you are not directly involved in them, these incidents affect you.

In a week, most people outside of the Denver area will return back to their everyday lives. This latest shooting will be pushed into the back of the mind. Life goes on. But the next time you are in a dark, enclosed theater and a door slams loudly, or a light blows out...the hairs on the back of your neck will stand up.

We are all forever changed...again.

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