My alarm rang out in my childhood bedroom in Upstate New York at 2 a.m. this morning— far before any sensible human's would— so I could embark on a journey that would take me through three different U.S. airports and land me right where I am now: pen in hand staring out over San Diego's Mission Bay. All in all, as I sip too-sweet strawberry wine and watch a beach wedding unfold just feet from my hotel balcony, I have to say it was worth the early start.

I can't complain about the travel either. My two flights, both on time, were a breeze compared to some of the airline horror stories I've heard about from friends and family.

But despite the apparent ease of it all, I couldn't help but notice just how tense everyone was. I think even the calmest of souls might lose their cool in line with — "Hurry up, get those shoes off! Liquids out! Laptops? Tablets?" The hustle and bustle can be understandably overwhelming.

I read last month that passengers in some major U.S. airports had to wait almost three hours just to get through security checkpoints. (Keep in mind that the TSA recommends arriving at airports two hours early for national flights.) Some airports are even experimenting with therapy animals to ease travelers' frustrations.

I'm not saying our airport security is a bad thing. Sure it could probably use some improvements, but so could most things. TSA, with their strict three ounce limit on liquids and their constant reminders to report unattended baggage, are meant to keep people safe. And what they do works. In 2013 they discovered almost five firearms per day stowed inside of carry-on luggage. And then there's the suicide vest and various explosive devices that were uncovered as well.

TSA serves a purpose. Though it's been nearly 15 years, the events of Sept.11 left scars that never quite healed. For many, they never will.

I'm glad we reacted so strongly to Sept. 11. We may not have done everything right, but we were faced with a tragedy and we did everything we could to prevent the same thing from ever occurring again.

So why don't we do that anymore? Why are our elected officials sitting on the floors of their own chambers in a desperate attempt just to get something done?

Perhaps we've just become accustomed to the violence. Somehow, it's become the norm. Or maybe we're just too afraid to take responsibility. After all, 9/11 wasn't us. The men who took down those planes weren't from here. But almost 90% of the mass shootings in America are perpetrated by young white men, most of whom were homegrown. They are, in some cases, quite literally the boy next door.

Does that somehow make it our fault? What are we, collectively as a nation, doing that could cause so many of our own to lash out in this way?

Many will isolate entire religious and ethnic groups, or further stigmatize mental illness, just to avoid accepting the blame.

If you ask me, the only ones to blame are the horrible individuals who commit these atrocities to begin with. Maybe blame needs to be taken out of the equation entirely. If we would just stop pointing fingers, maybe we could get to the root of the issue.

I'm not a lawmaker, or a security expert, or a social scientist. I don't know the solution.

But I do know that unless we act, none of this is ever going to change. Death tolls will rise and the wounds will spread further and further outward. So let's get those lawmakers off the floor, yes, literally, and let's do something.