Posted by Mass shootings have started to become a part of everyday life in the United States. In the year 2018 thus far we have experienced a total of 30 mass shootings including the February 14 incident. Is this really what we want our everyday lives to become? Hopes and prayers on social media are not enough to change this pattern.
We need to address mental health issues in this country with a more open and positive mindset and offer better, cheaper mental health resources. We also need to work on our gun legislation. And no, that does not mean taking away people’s guns or banning them, but creating laws that better enforce the who and how of gun purchase transactions. We must also create a standard of gun education and require anyone who currently owns or is purchasing a gun to stay up-to-date on gun safety courses. Education is the key to solving this issue. Education on safety, on gun use, on mental illness, and on the aftermath of gun violence. We should be teaching children the consequences to gun violence the same way we teach them the consequences of drinking and driving. It might not hurt to have gun safety courses offered in schools. This would be controversial, but given how often shootings are occurring and how many people own guns in this country, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for everyone to be educated on how to properly load, use, and disarm a gun.
Children should not have to be afraid of getting shot at school. These mass shootings are not only taking innocent lives and disrupting our daily society, but they are slowing contributing to the destruction of our education systems. School is becoming a real life horror movie and it’s not because of math class. Many adults are becoming desensitized to mass shootings because they happen so often, but not directly to themselves. However, the horrifying reality will be engrained in them forever when it does happen to them or their children. And yes, when. Because it is only a matter of time before gun violence becomes as common as cancer. If this issue is not properly addressed soon, we will all know somebody or be harmed ourselves by gun violence.
This is when voting and protests matter. I would hope everyone in this country can agree the mass shootings need to stop. The killing of children needs to stop. We need to make this heard and we need to let our Congress know we want change. Don’t allow the NRA and big money businesses to destroy this country by not allowing legislation to change. This is not a political issue, but a human issue and we must create change to keep our families safer. If Congress continues to do nothing, the number of mass shootings will continue to rise.
Olivia Bohrer 