These were innocent – INNOCENT – people. They had nothing to do with one mans anger and discontent. They woke up, ate breakfast, and went about their routine just as you and I did. They burnt their toast, and argued with their child about brushing their teeth a little better, and fed their pets, and kissed their partner as they ran out the door in a hurry to get to their class on time. They had absolutely no clue that it was going to be their last day on Earth.
The man killed people he didn’t know. He didn’t have a personal problem with any of them. That we know of, not one of the nine people that died had done something personally to the gunman. There was no ill blood, or disagreement or strife between them. From what I’ve read it seems to have something to do with religious beliefs. Nothing personal, he just didn’t believe what they believed. Unreal.
I watched a video of an angry President Obama giving the White House reaction to this situation, and he said that America is becoming numb to these situations. And he is right. But right now, as I’m typing this, I am not numb. I’m crying. I’m fucking crying and fucking angry. I’m crying like I knew someone personally in this latest tragedy. But I don’t know any of the people in Roseburg, or Sandyhook, or Charleston or any of the cities or towns where gun violence has torn apart families. I think to myself, how are those places any different than my town, my community? They aren’t. I think of the two people that I love the most, that are sometimes out of my sight during the day, that could easily be in a public place where this could happen and that scares me. It makes me want to lock the three of us in the bathroom and never leave. But that’s not the life we lead, and that’s not the person I am. However, because of how we treat, or don’t treat, rather, our mentally ill, and how we care more about the right to own powerful weapons than what those weapons can do to innocent people, this killing epidemic will continue to spread. Will we continue to feel unaffected, or will we refuse to live with fear and anxiety and start to act? When is enough, enough?
This is not a Democrat, or Republican, or Liberal, or Independent issue. It’s a human issue. There is a raging epidemic of people killing people with guns. One person a day since the beginning of the 2015. 204 people – sons, daughters, wives, husbands, brothers, sisters, teachers, neighbors – have lost their lives innocently [source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/07/24/there-have-been-204-mass-shootings-and-204-days-in-2015-so-far/]. This is not about taking guns away. This is about controlling the sale of guns, and responsibly selling and handling them. No one can say this was the responsible sale of a gun to a person who could handle it and use it correctly. I believe in the Constitution and our freedom to bear arms. I do not, however, believe in the freedom to sell guns to anyone that does not submit to an intense background check, interview, and waiting period where they must be educated on owning a gun. I do not believe in opening fire on a group of innocent people. I do not believe in using a gun to eliminate people who are unlike you. I do not believe in using a gun to take out anger on the whole human race.
Here’s the thing I’m struggling with this morning, that’s making my hands shake and my chest tight – what can I do? I don’t really have a disposable income to give money to survivors or groups active in gun control, safety and prevention. I can sign my name to petitions, and share articles on facebook. But is that’s not enough. I know I can write and possibly say what a lot of other people are thinking, yet don’t know how to put into words. So I’m doing that. I know I can hug my friends and loved ones tighter today. But man, that doesn’t stop this crisis.
Let’s vote.
Let’s talk more.
Let’s scream louder.
Let’s be stronger and unite against this epidemic.
People wear colors to support their fight against health epidemics all the time.
Why aren’t we doing the same for an epidemic that killing people at a much faster rate?
Here are organizations that just want to have a future without gun violence. They don’t want to take away guns. They just want to stop killings. Please sign their petitions, stay updated, and talk to your national, state and local representative. If you can donate, please donate. Thanks.
https://www.bradycampaign.org/cut-gun-deaths-in-half-by-2025
https://secure.americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/page/contribute/default?source=site-home
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