I was scrolling through the news app on my phone when I came across an article about a series of bombings. The article was located near the bottom right corner, underneath the trending section, which showed that not many people were focusing on this incident. It made me realize how much focus shootings have been getting compared to other disasters.
I understand that mass shootings have taken over America to the point that there have been around 18 in the last three months. I knew they were a cause of a great amount of loss and suffering, but I then realized that there has been so much focus on these shootings that there was no room left for a different cause for suffering.
Bombings.
From March 2 to March 20, a series of five packaged bombs, placed near sidewalks of residential neighborhoods, exploded in Austin, Texas. These tragedies killed two people and severely injured five. The main suspect, Mark Anthony Conditt, blew himself up in his own vehicle with the sixth and final bomb. But in those 18 days, everyone lived in terror, hoping and praying they wouldn't get a packaged box delivered to their house.
The bomber is described by retired ATF explosives investigator Malcolm Brady as "...not stupid. He's being diversified in his methods and attacks, and may have done this before somewhere."
The police, forensics and bomb experts teams have hunted for the bomber, taking each piece of the bomb that had survived and traced it, studying every location that a bomb was placed. Every inch of the case was studied, and everyone was trying to find something that would lead to the bomber and make sure the people living in those neighborhoods weren't terrified for their lives.
It's horrifying, because the bomber may have had experience of doing this in a different city. How many other people are out there like this, planning, calculating and choosing their victims? This bomber showed a more meticulous way of planning a crime that also spread fear to every household across the country.
Not only do I have to worry about shootings, but there are also bombings. Shootings are already something we have to worry about, given, but that's not stopping me from being open to the other possibilities of what could cause our suffering. If the mind is limited to just the shootings, then we are risking our lives by blinding ourselves from those other possibilities, like bombings. A gun can kill one person at a time, but one bomb can kill hundreds.
Yes, I understand that shootings can continue to happen. Yes, I understand that there needs to be gun control. Yes, I understand that gun control needs to be a top priority. But what will happen when, instead of guns, bombs are being used?
There has been so much focus on gun control that we have failed to realize there are other methods of causing suffering. When I read about this series of bombs in the news, it made me realize that, regardless of having gun control, there will always be another way to hurt people. The options aren't limited in this generation.
To help spread awareness for bombings, you can contact your local Congressman or Congresswoman.
To contact your senator, click here, or to contact your representative, click here.
If you would like to call the offices, click here.
Shootings are enough. We don't need to add bombings to the list. The more awareness there is, the better we can protect ourselves.
