Guest Author
“Not one more.”
“Enough is enough.”
“When will we do something about these mass shootings?”
These are routine responses when someone shoots up a school, of which there have been three this month alone. In addition, let’s not forget about accidental shootings in the home, domestic abusers killing girlfriends or wives, countless suicides and murders that never would have happened if a gun hadn’t been so easily accessible.
These horrific events reduce a resilient people to a mass of hand-wringing, sighing nincompoops who prefer to keep victims in “our thoughts and prayers” rather than solve the problem and reduce the number of future tragedies.
We moan and cry, then watch an adorable kitten play with a fuzzy string, and forget about it.
Until next time.
Does it have to happen to someone we love before we get off our asses and act?
I’ve scoured news stories and countless journalists, websites and magazines are definitely part of the problem. Few mention solutions and almost all the stories are sensational. At best they simply point a finger at the NRA or presidential candidates who promise that gun control laws won’t make a bit of difference. At worst, they treat the shooters like rock stars, publishing pictures, writing about their manifestos, always so helpful with a link back to the original source. They should be charged as co-conspirators along with those who committed the crime.
Lawmakers are more frightened of gun owners than the dangerous lifestyle they promote. Those of us who support common-sense gun laws don’t vote this issue like the other side. If you were a politician, who would you listen to?
Put down the Doritos and turn off the television for five minutes, here’s what you can do to stop this from happening again.
- Demand that newspapers and news stations stop airing the names of the shooters, their viewpoints, their reasoning, their stories and their pictures. Let’s stop giving these murderers what they crave most: attention.
- Demand that newspapers and news stations start focusing on victims and survivors. Air their names and pictures. What charities did they support? What were their dreams and aspirations? Those are the stories we need to hear.
- Write to President Barack Obama. Tell him you want a) exemptions removed that allow dangerous people to carry guns near schools, b) high-volume gun sellers to become licensed dealers conducting background checks for all gun sales, c) federal law enforcement alerting local law enforcement when dangerous criminals try to illegally buy guns, d) existing laws enforced that require background checks, e) sellers to discontinue allowing convicted domestic abusers to buy guns.
- Join Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action, The Brady Campaign, or countless other organizations dedicated to stopping gun violence.
- Write to Gov. Rick Scott and demand more mental health funding in our state.
- Write your U.S. senators and state legislators to demand common-sense gun laws that a) ban high-capacity magazines, b) expand the 24-hour background check to make it universal, and c) bring back the assault weapons ban.
- Refuse to “share” or “re-tweet” anything that gives these killers attention. Turn away from any mention of them and shame those who don’t.
- Contact State Sen. Don Gaetz at 850-897-5747 (Senate Bill 300), State Rep. Matt Gaetz at 850-717-5004 (House Bill 163), State Sen. Greg Evers at 850-595-0213 (Senate Bill 68) and State Rep. Greg Steube at 850-717-5073 ( House Bill 4001) and tell them you are against open carry and guns on campus. Urge them to stop perpetuating the dangerous myth that more guns are the solution.
- Call your local school and offer to mentor troubled kids. Break the cycle of hate and despair.
- Call your lawmakers and demand gun safety training for all gun owners. Why is buying cold medicine more regulated than buying a gun?
- Attend school board meetings and demand gun safety guidelines in our schools, from kindergarten through senior year. Children have a right to be safe.
President Obama is spot on, and I’ll take his sentiment one step further. Every last one of you, keep those “thoughts and prayers” to yourself.
Do something instead.
In a recent publication, Legal Community Against Violence (LCAV) found that many states with the strongest gun laws have the lowest gun death rates, while states with weaker gun laws have the highest gun death rates.
What kind of state do you want to live in?
Catherine Durkin Robinson co-parents twin sons, organizes families for advocacy purposes, writes syndicated columns, mentors kids, runs a few races, and is a proud member of Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
