At 10:38 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, the initial 911 call came through detailing the shooting at Umpqua Community College. There were 10 reported deaths and seven others injured as a result of this tragedy. A timeline of the events along with information on the shooter, the victims and various interviews have been described all across the media spectrum, resulting in a variety of opinions being shared. Many people have taken this moment as an opportunity to discuss gun control, a well deserved topic of conversation. However, others urge the public to take the time to come together as a community and grieve rather than debate and separate, taking sides against one another.
While writing this article I decided I didn’t want to repeat cold facts, nor did I want to coat the information in my own opinions. Rather, I hope this will just be a small reminder:
During these instances of tragedy, everyone has his or her own way of dealing with the loss. The Oregon shooting is no exception — such events can either bind a community together or tear them apart. Every individual’s stance has significance and it is important for us, as citizens, to be able to listen and make respectful and progressive decisions.