RIP Christina Grimmie

I was left speechless this morning when I heard the news that 22 year old vocalist Christina Grimmie was shot and killed during a fan meet & greet in Orlando last night by an anonymous gunman. The news was selfishly all the more bewildering to me because I saw Christina perform live just a few months ago when she opened for Rachel Platten at Irving Plaza.

Words can't express how awful this is. Yet another example of why both mental illness and senseless gun violence are such important topics in need of evaluation and response beyond angry debates on social media. Considering this is an election year, there's never been a more poignant time to let your voice be heard. It's a scary world we're living in.

Regardless of circumstance surrounding this terrible situation, none of this should have happened. None of it. And now the world is left a little bit dimmer without a shining talent still in the early stages of what could have been.

Add to this that -- not unlike the multitude of shootings happening at schools -- this situation, coupled with the recent shooting and death at the aforementioned Irving Plaza backstage during a T.I. concert, proves a terrifying point about the American people so many just don't want to acknolwedge. We as Americans are much too comfortable with this type of story. We're all so keen to just brush it off as "how sad" and feel safe in removing ourselves from the reality and the gravity of truth. Instead, we turn it into a fiery devolution of emotion, using hindsight to offer platitudes and excuses, saying "there should have been more security" or "the shooter should have sought help."

The reality is this happened and it shouldn't have happened. A concert is meant for entertainment. Period. How many people have to die or be permanently scarred by this for things to change? Why are we as Americans so married to this perceived "right" to weapons?

Anger aside: Christina, thank you for the music.

On a lighter note -- posts will resume to MelismaticBlog.com shortly.