Another senseless tragedy. That’s exactly what it is. I can’t describe the latest school shooting in any other way. However as I sit here and read through the countless articles on the heroes, victims and shooter I can’t seem to calm my anger and also fear.
My son is 2 years old. Not yet old enough to go to a real school, but his safety is my top priority each and every day. I am just like every mom and dad across the globe, I want to keep my son safe. Its part of what makes me a parent. But the thing is, I am not an island. Following this latest shooting, it is not lost on me that we are all at risk. That is, until we do something.
I try to stay out of the political realm as much as possible these days. Too much drama, too much division and too much of everything but governing. However, as a parent I feel like I can stay silent no more. If you read the most recent stories on the school shooting in Parkland, Florida you will see that shooter obtained the gun LEGALLY. He went out and bought an semiautomatic weapon. Call me ignorant, but WHY? Why does one need a semiautomatic weapon? My dad used to say, nothing good happens after midnight. I will echo that sentiment with, nothing good happens with a semiautomatic weapon.
I am not attempting to start an argument between Republicans and Democrats, I am simply asking for leadership across the board to make necessary steps in the right direction. I am not naïve to think one thing will erase all evil, we are a long way from that. However, we need to take a step in the right direction. Lets not just start a committee to look into these things, lets actually take steps to further supports for the mentally ill and increase gun control.
I am not a politician, but I am someone hoping to see change. It has to. Because I am a parent. A parent that spends tireless nights thinking about how to protect my son. But I am also a parent that knows I can’t keep my son in a bubble for the rest of his life. School shootings have become all too common these days and if we don’t take the appropriate steps now, what we are saying about the future of America?
CNN reporter Tess Taylor recently wrote a piece on the Parkland, Florida shooting. She said, “This is a country of hunters and sportsmen, my family included. I cannot foresee an America without guns. I can imagine an America, though, where we act as if our children’s lives are worth more than our guns, where we decide that we can no longer tolerate living within a raging epidemic of violence. I can imagine an America where we worry more that a domestic abuser will get a gun and kill someone than we worry about the brief annoyance of a background check. I can imagine an America where we don’t imagine we need guns in churches, schools, or Starbucks, national parks.”
Tess is right. So lets take this first step together and lets do it in the name of love. No sides, no parties, just one nation doing what is right. We can’t take away what has already happened, but we can join together to attempt to prevent future senseless tragedies. Our children are too important not to.
