Yesterday, it was reported that 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz unleashed a hail of gunfire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 adults and students. The shooting is now among the ten deadliest mass shootings in modern US history. To make matters worse, it’s 29th mass shooting the country has had so far in 2018 and were only 45 days into the new year.
Once again, the government has failed us.
When I first heard the news, my immediate reaction was, “Not again.” Seeing the videos and hearing the screams of the students broke my heart. I’ve never been close to a gun yet alone while at school. I can’t imagine what those students, staff, and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School felt like during the shooting and how they will feel for years to come. They will have to carry yesterday with them for the rest of their lives, which is even more heartbreaking.
No one should have to fear for their lives like they did yesterday. Schools are supposed to be a safe place, yet they have now become danger zones. Parents have trusted the school system and the government to protect their children from things like shootings. Now, it’s hard for parents and students to have trust. It’s almost as if it’s better for students to be home schooled so their parents know that they are safe from a mass shooting possibly occurring.
The same cycle keeps happening. Mass shooting. An outpour of prayers from social media. Debates over gun control. Everyone forgets. Congress does nothing to prevent a mass shooting from happening again. Silence for a few weeks. Then another mass shooting occurs.
There has to be something done about this. The cycle NEEDS to be broken. Our country has way too many headlines and news stories about mass shootings. They are becoming too common that it is defining our society. Our government has to take control and have stricter laws on who can and cannot buy guns. There has to be background checks, screenings, tests, social media investigation, etc. so people like the shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are not allowed to purchase guns.
If Donald Trump wants to “Make American Great Again” he needs to start by forcing new gun laws instead of having Twitter fingers and arguing about shit that is irrelevant.
When is enough going to be enough? When are mass shootings going to stop being a routine thing?
We need change, not another deadly headline.