School will be the death of me.
As there has been a rise of mass school shootings in the United States, there has also been a rise in fear in the communities. The question is how would you feel fearing that you might never see your child again once they walk into those school doors? Are schools even safe anymore? What is being done to stop this and how will our President try to fix it?
As a college student, I have personally felt the fear of not knowing if I am going to go home that day. Not knowing whether or not to send my family the “ I love you” text. This issue is something that has affected the youth of our time in ways that are indescribable. How does our President sit their on his chair using twitter seeing everything that goes on and does not advocate what the students need to feel safe. Schools should not be a target zone they should be a place of safety and a place that fills children with hope for a better future. The students should not even consider or question if their school might be next.
As referenced above, I myself have witnessed the scare of what it feels like to know that their might be a school shooting near my school. I was in middle school during the time and my two older sister were in high school. I remember hearing rumors that my sisters high school had a shooter on campus. How could I at the age of 12 know what to do at that moment? Quickly after, my school went on lock down and as I hid near my desk I feared for my sisters lives. That feeling of not knowing what is going on is gut wrenching. Unlike, the most recent issues towards gun violence, this had nothing to do with the students it was actually a faculty members issue which sadly lead to her death. Although, it may not have been my school the mere fact it was in my area scared me to death.
In an article taken from Brady's campaign, Gun Violence in Schools, depicts the data of what has occurred throughout the years that have witnessed a spike in gun violence. In his campaign he states that, “ Using data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence identified 558 gun incidents in schools in the first seven and a half months of the 2016- 2017 school year — between August 1, 2016 and March 17, 2017”. These statistics are astonishing, the amount of incidents that occur are more than the amount of days in one year. Never minding, the circumstances of the gun violence the number is still gut wrenching.
Throughout his campaign, the author also depicts the steps that can be taken in order to reduce the amount of gun violence that has occurred throughout the past two years. Students who are involved in these atrocities should find ways to advocate what they feel in order to see a change in these issues. Also, it stated that there is students who are aware of what is being planned before the action actually occurs, they should reach out to the number “ 1–866-SPEAK-UP”, to tell someone what might happen.
In regards to President Trump as his view towards all that has occurred. The way I see his actions towards more recent shooting like the shooting in Florida, is he is spending more time speaking of what he wants to do than actually doing it. In an article taken from Elite Daily, What is Trump’s Gun Violence? There Are Some Changes For Schools, depicts how President Trump plans on doing in regards to gun violence, “ While the proposal includes assistance in arming teachers and improving background checks, but doesn’t address the age limit required to purchase automatic rifles”. This example is stating, how President Trump is planning to advocate for teachers to carry weapons in their everyday class rooms in case of a school shooting. This solution is only bringing in more weapons into schools rather than trying to STOP weapons from entering. As a student, I would completely feel fearful knowing the person who is teaching me has the power to take my life in any given second.
In my Literary Response to Repression course my Professor Tanya, depicts situations in which any form of repression or violence that is inflicted to any group of individuals. In an article given to use from the New York Times, regarding the Voices from Chernobyl, depicts the tragedy that occurred the night of the gas leak that MURDERED people of that town. Although, gun violence and this tragedy has nothing in common. The topic I will be discussing is how these issues were addressed and how they remain to be an issue. In this article, a young women is depicting what the aftermath of the gas leak and how she felt losing so many lives. The writer depicts how it felt after the world found out about the gas leak, “ And then one day you’re turned into a Chernobyl person, an animal that everyone’s interested in, and that no one knows anything about”. I chose this quote because it is almost depicts what the people who survive the attacks feel, it is not until a tragedy happens that the people are even thought of. It is sad to believe, that the people who survived the shootings and this gas leak still have not healed. Yet, the media continues to not find any form of slotting to help these individuals.
The people who have dealt with life or death situations like this gas leak and gun violence know how it feels to mourn the lives of those lost. Also, how the media uses these situations to capitalize on the devastation. Issues like gun violence seem to only be thought of when another school is attacked. Gun violence needs to be taken more seriously, because the more our government waits the more schools seem to look more like target practice for shooters.
Works Cited
“Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.” Brady Campaign Releases a Report Analyzing 20 Years of Effective Background Checks | Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, www.bradycampaign.org/gun-violence-in-schools.
Golden, Hannah. “Here’s What’s In Trump’s Plan To ‘Harden’ Schools & It’s A Mixed Bag.”Elite Daily, Elite Daily, 25 Apr. 2018, www.elitedaily.com/p/whats-in-trumps-gun-violence-proposal-there-are-some-changes-for-schools-8470220.
Robinson, Alicia, et al. “Orange County Schools Join Student Walkouts to Protest Gun Violence.” Orange County Register, Orange County Register, 20 Apr. 2018, www.ocregister.com/2018/03/14/orange-county-students-join-national-protest-against-gun-violence-in-schools/.
“‘Voices From Chernobyl’: An Excerpt.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Dec. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2015/10/08/books/voices-from-chernobyl-an-excerpt.html.
