Another Day, Another Mass Shooting

Until now, I’ve had a hard time compiling my thoughts on the Uvalde, TX mass school shooting. After watching the news, reading the most heart wrenching, frightening stories, and taking a few days to let it all sink in, I’m finally ready to share a few words. And while there’s more to say than I could ever type out, it feels right in my heart to share my feelings with you today. This space was designed to be positive but it’s hard to be positive about things when so many innocent lives were cruelly taken from this world— again. I’d rather have a blog that publishes vulnerable, honest content than one that tries to take on a fake happy tone when it feels irresponsible to do so. With that said…

To the kids & staff who lost their lives so tragically— You didn’t deserve this. You didn’t deserve to be failed by our flawed systems. You deserved to feel safe within your four walls. You deserved a full life where you got to grow old and make beautiful memories with your families. You deserved the summer break that was waiting for you and you deserved to go back to school in the fall. It’s happened time and time again and yet, we let it happen to you too. How sad that history has repeated itself. Many of our leaders don’t have your best interest in mind and yet they are responsible for keeping you safe. They hold the power to make the changes that would have protected you. But they haven’t and they won’t because they care more about money and their own “rights” than they care about you. They care about painting these shootings— including yours— as events related solely to mental illness because they don’t want to acknowledge the truth. They offer thoughts & prayers but don’t take action. I’m so sorry we let this happen to you. 

To the families of those who lost someone— may you forever honor your loved one and live each day fighting for a better future. To experience this heinous crime and live with unimaginable grief is not fair to you. It’s not fair to anyone.

To the Uvalde, TX community— may you come together stronger than before & demand the change your schools deserve. You are more than the location of another mass shooting. Someday, you will rebuild and begin again, but you will never forget.

To educators and students across the country— I’m sorry you have to fear your place of employment and your place of learning. You shouldn’t have to live in fear. Teachers— you experience enough toxicity every day with limited resources and low pay. So much is expected of you already. You parent some children and offer others a safe place of refuge from their unsafe home lives. How ironic and sad that a child’s “safe place of refuge” is then the less of two evils. Teachers— we know that arming you is not the answer, so why, in a profession so grossly under appreciated and under funded already, would we ever think to add MORE to your plate. No one would expect me to be armed in my corporate place of employment, so why would we give you that added responsibility and burden in yours? Our schools deserve better. And our students deserve to learn in an environment that’s safe. 

To friends and strangers everywhere— we’re always grateful that “it wasn’t us” this time. We hold those around us tighter after every incident but without reform, what about next time? History has shown us that there’s no predicting where or when the next mass casualty event will take place. We need to make sure there is no next time. While we alone cannot make the change, we can do something by standing up and voting and writing to our senators and representatives and governors. For our kids and our loved ones and for our country, we have to. We need to oust the people who are endangering our country. If so many million of us agree things need to change, imagine what one of us good ones could lobby for if elected to office. There are people running for office each election cycle who want to make the changes that will keep us safe— we need to elect them. And we need to keep being mad about the reality of the world we’re living in until it changes. We cannot let Uvalde, TX slip into the archives of tragedy to be covered and forgotten by the time the next tragedy comes around. We must remember their names and fight for them because they can no longer fight for themselves. We said never again after Sandy Hook and look where we are now.

To those struggling with mental illness— I’m so sorry that mental illness is always the front and center topic when talking about mass shootings. Correlation does not equal causation and it’s not fair to you that our leaders keep pushing these false narratives that are harmful to you. I thought we were turning a corner where we were recognizing mental health matters. I thought we were empowering those with mental illness to speak up so we could NORMALIZE something 1 in 5/6 people in the US struggle with every day. Instead, we spread harmful allegations that people with mental illness are dangerous. It’s infuriating. And we should be mad about it.

And to our leaders— DO BETTER FOR US. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Stop taking money from corrupt organizations. Stop covering up the problems and help us build a better future. Help us make sure we never experience another mass shooting. Help us protect our families. Help us protect our children. Help us stop this senseless violence. You owe it to us. And to Texas legislators who have always been despicable when it comes to caring about the right issues— looking at you Governor Abbott and Senator Cruz— I hope the majority of Texans vote you out of office because YOU are a big part of the problem. I don’t even know how you sleep at night. Texans deserve better than you.

The situation is catastrophic. I feel helpless and sad and simply appalled by some of the information that’s come out of Texas in recent days. And personally, I’m disgusted that the NRA couldn’t even show enough empathy to cancel their event 3 hours away days after this horrible mass shooting. The insensitivity is alarming as hell. 

As always, thank you for taking the time to read. I’m sorry today’s post is one that’s so sad, but I’m glad I was able to get these words off my chest. Below you’ll find a few links to stories, information, and resources. Please take some time to check them out. While I realize not everyone has the financial ability to make monetary donations, please know there are plenty of free ways you can support. Call your legislators, vote, and advocate— doing something is better than doing nothing.

Until next time.

JB

ThoughtsJennifer Brandlsadness, uvalde, texasComment