When anything drastic happens in the world, whether it is in the United States or out of it, people seem to be very quick to place blame and push the problem to someone else. No one wants to be responsible for something horrible. No one wants to take the blame. They simply point fingers.
After the Parkland shooting, there have been many fingers pointed and assumptions made about who was/is to blame, and who is now in charge of making the changes that are needed in order to make our schools safe again. In my personal opinion, one of the biggest things to remember here is that pointing fingers is doing nothing for anyone and is getting no one anywhere.
As of now, there have been multiple school walkouts all over the states, which symbolize students against gun violence and their mourning for those 17 students who lost their lives in the shooting.
In the past week, gun control issues have been discussed all throughout statehouses. Though most of the attention to gun control has been centered in Florida, there are debates all around that are pushing to make it harder to obtain assault weapons.
As politicians are taking steps to make obtaining guns more difficult, I believe that it is important for the Millennials and Generation Z to realize that it is up to them to make a difference.
At this point, politicians and our parents' generations have simply failed us. Our generation and the generation under us need to focus on making a big enough impact so that things like school shootings no longer happen.
Whether change comes from protests around the states or from simply speaking out and allowing ourselves to be heard, change needs to happen. While speaking out and pushing for change we all need to also realize that compromise needs to be made.
Compromise (n). A settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.
Compromise. It’s not easy, I know. But those who are arguing that all guns need to banned must realize that those bad people will always find them. Guns are bought and traded illegally every day. Making something illegal does not stop it.
It is up to us to remember those who lost their lives and to fight for a better, safer school environment. To be heard and make a change.
So that one day, I don’t wake up scared to send my son or daughter to school.
So that one day, parents don’t fear for their kids lives in an environment that is supposed to be safe.
Change needs to happen. We need to fight for it.
