It was too much to take. It was too cynical to keep playing along. So we stopped betting after the Mass Shooting Trifecta: Las Vegas, New York and Texas.

With a kick in the ribs, a jockey turned night into a nightmare riding a horse called Mandalay Bay.

With a kick in the ribs, a jockey turned a light breeze into a cold day in Hell riding a horse called Hudson River.

With a kick in the ribs, a jockey turned absolution into abomination riding a horse called Jesus Horse Christ.

The fix is in. The race is rigged. We lose every time because the stakes aren’t fair. They don’t see us as a contender called Running For Our Lives. They see us as a neutered stag called Collateral Damage.

They know what we want and they know how to deliver: the choreography of bowed heads, the manipulation of the moment of silence, the carrot stick of “thoughts & prayers.” They know what we want and they know how to deliver, so…

They put on a show on CNN.

They put on a show on MSNBC.

They put on a show on FOX.

Parade out a horse called Columbine. Parade out a horse called Sandy Hook. Parade out a horse called Gabby Giffords. Parade out the newcomer horse called Parkland. Put them in the starting gate next to The Triple Crown Champion, a Trojan Horse called The NRA.

If you’re a betting man, put your money on the ratings. It’s a sure thing.