Bastille Day in Nice, France

Back in a kinder, gentler time I spent time in Nice, France. It was there that I experienced the rudest human beings on the face of the earth at the Russian Orthodox Church and took in the shore of the Mediterranean drinking Drambuie from snifters at a bar close by prior to returning to the ship that evening.

Riding along the cliffs where Princess Grace of Monaco had her fatal automobile accident I was taken by the sheer drop off and speed of the bus in which we traveled.

However, in all my excitement during that day I never once feared for my life. In fact I was quite at ease with most everything by the end of my stay.

Bastille Day in Nice turned abruptly tragic when a Tunisian immigrant plowed through persons watching a fireworks show killing many before being shot and killed in a hail of gunfire by police.

The perp, one Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel described as a French-Tunisian "career criminal", rammed the crowd for about a mile and opened fire on the celebrants. Those victims include a Texan and his son. In addition to those killed there are a number in critical condition in local hospitals.

It is sad commentary when that hate generated by a group of miscreants continually falls upon innocent people such as those simply out to celebrate independence day festvities in Nice, France.

The consequences are an extension of the the state of emergency already in force and I'm sure that the scrutiny of these individuals out to kill the rest of us will now increase.