Except for the fact that you know, they really aren't.
When did guns become more important than our children? Was it around the same time we decided we value oil over humanity? Or maybe it was when we said that repairing our environment was less important than securing our military power. Oh wait, I know, maybe it was when we decided to turn our government into the world's most horrifying reality show!
Really though, I'm not sure when it happened but it's the saddest truth. A truth many of us can no longer bare.
If you heard about the school shooting in Colorado this past week and were surprised or shocked well I just want to know, were you really? Are you honestly still surprised when we've done nothing to improve the safety of our schools, places of worship and basically any other public place you can think of?
I used to be scared to walk alone at night, but now I'm growing scared of simply walking outside.
When I heard the news of what happened in Denver, just miles from the school that put such utter violence on the map, I hardly even cried. Not because what happened wasn't tragic, but because a numbness has grown inside of me. And to be rather honest, I'm quite afraid it's grown inside us all. This overwhelming feeling of a complete lack of control. Our marches do nothing, our words do even less. How can we solve a problem when half the population isn't interested in a solution?
Instead of lobbying for change, we've resigned ourselves to sending our thoughts and prayers. For politicians, all they have to do to feel satiated is compose a tweet calling for regulations and call it a day. News outlets cover these tragedies for ratings but never feel compelled to ask the hard questions, like when do we say enough is enough?
We talk about arming teachers and preparing kids to fight for their lives. How can it be that these are really our most effective solutions?
It has been 20 years since the massacre at Columbine and still, nothing has changed. In 2018 there were 323 mass shootings. That means we only went 42 days without one. In 2019, we're on track to have even higher numbers than that. I'd like to ask legislators this: How will the children of the nation shape the future of our nation from body bags?
This question is now larger than simply guns or no guns. It is a question of morality. When we look back at this point in history will we really be satisfied that those in power made the right choices? I can't help but think that we will look back on this and feel nothing but shame.
I want to call on you to be the change you want to see, but I've grown weary in believing that will ever be enough. So instead ask yourself this: What matters more to you, guns or life?
