The fence at Marysville Pilchuck

Marysville-Pilchuck High School re-opened today after being off a week after the tragic shooting a week ago Friday in which (so far) four students died and two more in serious shape.

I have talked to more and more people whose kids have gone there, or know kids who go there, or know somebody at the Tulalip tribe or some other personal connection.

Who can explain this sort of senseless carnage except to say, as we did in my writing group last night...Why are there so many guns???  Why do people have guns around?  So their 14 year old son can get hold of it and make a 'poor choice' ie bring it to school, invite his friends to lunch then shoot them in the back of the head.  This was a well-liked popular athletic kid.  no no no no

So, the Marysville community wanted to express their support of the school and the students.  So many hundreds lined the streets near the school to welcome the kids back to school.

Many many people have decorated a long chain fence in the school.  This is part of a panorama from the Seattle Times showing just a portion of  the fence.