When I was a senior in high school, two other schools around mine both had incidents of a student bringing a gun to school.
After the shooting at Pulse Nightclub, my parents wouldn't let me go to my local pride parade because they were scared for my safety.
When my little siblings, (ages 11 and 7) had a bomb threat at their school, I began to be fearful for their safety at a place they spent hours at every day.
These stories are not unique. Many people have stories like these. We all have walked into a public place at one point or another and briefly wondered, "will I be attacked?"
Last week, 17 students and adults were murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. People lost friends, parents, children, and classmates that day. They live-Tweeted and Snapchatted their terror, begging someone to come help them.
I want to say this is a tragedy out of the blue. But this thing happens so much that most of us are desensitized to it. The Gun Violence Archive reports that 346 mass shootings took place in 2017. Thirty-two mass shootings have occurred in 2018 as of February 17, and it's only the second month of the year.
I know we all want to pray and send our condolences and good wishes, and that's wonderful. The victims need that kind of support right now. However, they also need action.
Congress has the power to do something about this. I'm sick of politicians giving their condolences and saying there's nothing they can do to prevent this. There were 346 mass shootings last year. You'd think if this happens 346 times in one year, someone could come up with a way to prevent this.
So what are we going to do about it? I'm not talking to everyday people, I'm talking to the President. I'm talking to Congress. I'm talking to state and local lawmakers.
Our citizens are dying senselessly. It's time for us to demand that our government does something. Maybe banning guns isn't the answer, but something needs to be done. America can't take any more heartbreak.
If you would like to help, contact your senators. Call your representatives and demand that something be done.
