More than a decade ago, we failed the American children by allowing the Sandy Hook tragedy to occur without taking further preventative action.
Last week, a Michigan State University student, Jackie Matthews, shared her story about surviving two school shootings, Sandy Hook and MSU, and having lifelong physical and mental repercussions. She is not the only student that has survived more than one school shooting, and she may not be the last.
In this country, we ask children to lay down their lives for our rights to own guns. In schools we have “bad guy drills” where we ask students to enact scenes of what they would do if someone came into their classroom and opened fire at them. We ask our teachers to learn how to treat gunshot wounds. At MSU, students were asked to run, hide, and fight an active shooter last week. It is not possible to learn when you do not feel safe.
In Texas, there is footage of a school full of police on scene with an active shooter and they stood in the halls for over an hour while children were being slaughtered in their classroom. Our police cannot combat the types of guns we allow civilians to carry. Police felt they could not do anything while the children in their community were being shot and killed.
This is a preventable tragedy that the American people are allowing to happen.
The laws in the United States are created by politicians that work for us, to represent what we want for our country. Sending love or keeping families in your thoughts and prayers does not make change.
This is our country, and these problems are embarrassing. I want better for our children, our parents, and our communities, and if you do, too, then this is your responsibility.
Clara Zeder
Ann Arbor