Oh to live your life in fear. To be engulfed in a wind of shrieking cries. To have the earth shake
with stomps of fear. To see metal bullets continuously ripping through human bodies as if they
were merely sheets of paper. To witnessing little girls and boys no longer being able to live out
their dreams. To have nursing babies crying as they’re clutched in a shaking mother’s arms. To
have everyone swimming in the red sea. All they want is to find safety. All anyone wants is to
find safety.
Confusion. Fear. Despair. Fear. Petrification. Fear. Fear. Fear.
This is your life as an American. Waking up to see an article about a shooting every single day of
the week. Monday: blood sweeps the hallways of an elementary school after an active shooting.
Tuesday: three people murdered in a shooting at a local park. Wednesday: a five year old left
orphaned after her parents were murdered in a local Tom Thumb. Thursday: a 3K marathon left
in devastation as runners heard shots fired during their second lap. Friday: three heroic teachers
are being honored as they sacrificed themselves to save their students from a deadly shooting,
but police count at least ten children dead. Saturday: a newlywed couple witnessed death early as
fatal shots hit them at a local bar. Sunday: malls are no longer safe with shooters targeting
shopping centers at an increasing rate.
As an American, you cannot leave for school without hugging your parents goodbye, as though
it is the last time you feel them. As an American, you cannot enjoy at the mall without fearing
someone will wipe away your life with an automatic rifle. As an American, you cannot trust the
government to create policies that will save lives. Even if it means saving a four year old child,
the government will only give its thoughts and prayers. It will not act. It will not create policies
to tighten gun control. It will not fill the loopholes in current policies allowing automatic
military-grade rifles to be distributed to the mere public. It will not stop people from killing other
people. It will only give you thoughts and prayers. It will not act.
How many more lives? How many more children are they willing to sacrifice because their
“side” does not believe in doing the right thing? How much more generational trauma are they
willing to create? This is the same generation that will go on to be the future of America. How
much are they willing to gamble? How much is this country’s future worth? Can the United
States of America suffer this deadly reputation any longer? If it were worth more, then why not
act. Then why not close loopholes. Then why not create policies to keep your people safe. We
voted for you. You swore to protect us. Why are petty politics wedging their way in decisions to
save human beings, just like you and me?
Our second amendment did not give us the right to play God. We do not have the right to take
away lives. Fix this. Fix us. Fix the country that waves its flag so proudly. Fix the country that
introduced the world to democracy- a fair and equal way of governing. Take us back to the time
when our democracy actually stood for the people. The sound of justice prevailing rang through
the entire nation. Take us back to the time when children could skip into school with gleeful
faces. Take us back to the time when parents were eased at seeing their children leave, for they
would be safe, because America would take care of them. Now the parents scream and beg for
their children to stay. Now the childrens’ hearts jump out of their chest when entering a building
that has the word “education” painted on it. Now, we are a generation scarred.
Now we are a generation scarred, yet strengthened. We are the generation pleading with our
government to fight with us, not against us. We ask for their support, consciousness, and
friendship. This generation is strengthened. It will continue to push for its safety. The more our
flesh is ripped into, the faster our flesh wants to heal. The ground shakes as students march to
plead for safety. “Fight For Gun Control” written on posters bigger than the children holding
them. With over 70,000 people flooding the streets of our nation’s capital as we marched for our
lives. With more than 400 protests nationwide after children as young as 9- years old sacrificed
their lives in one of the deadliest school shootings in Texas. This generation is strengthened as
they urge leaders to create gun control. Our voices were heard as new bills were created to keep
us safe. Our voices lingered on the President’s mind as he signed the Safer Communities Act,
where $750 million dollars will be provided for states to run crisis intervention programs. Our
voices knocked on the government’s door to wake them up. Red flag laws, deeper background
checks, required registration is what our generation screamed for.
Nonetheless, we will continue to fight for our livelihood. There is more work to be done. There
are more voices needed to be heard. There are more children to be saved. So, we will keep
knocking on doors and waking people up. We will keep fighting. We are a generation scarred
and strengthened.