"What Are We Doing?" Gun Violence Persists in American Schools, Marked By Continued Inaction

On May 24th, 2022, an 18-year-old male, armed with a handgun and possibly a rifle, walked into an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The man, a student at Uvalde High School, shot and killed at least 18 young children and 2 teachers. The gunman was also killed, reportedly by police responding to the shooting.

Shortly following this senseless tragedy, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, representing his home state of Connecticut, took the Senate floor and delivered a poignant speech addressing the tragedy. Referencing Sandy Hook, which occurred in Connecticut, Murphy asked his colleagues why they ever became senators.

"If your answer is that as this slaughter increases, as our kids run for their lives - we do nothing. What are we doing? Why are you here?"

Senator Murphy expressed a sentiment that is felt widely across the United States, as school shootings occur at a rate far beyond any other country: 27 in the United States this year alone. Calls for gun control are consistently rising, especially after school shootings; humans have two instincts after a tragedy. The first, obviously, is grief, as we ponder the senselessness of such an action, and the beautiful souls lost to such an act. Immediately following grief comes blame. Blaming others gives us purpose in times of strife, and oftentimes blame comes from all sides. Anything related to gun violence is, unfortunately, immediately politicized beyond recognition, with Democrats blaming Republicans for insisting on zero gun regulation, and Republicans blaming Democrats for instituting gun regulations to begin with.

Both sides no longer recognize shootings for what they truly are: tragedies. Instead, the death of 18 children and 2 adults becomes leverage, a way to push an agenda. The last thing a grieving parent wants to hear after the murder of their child is two politicians pointing fingers and arguing over whose gun policy is better.

I'll admit, I have yet to see any of this today, but I'm sure that will change. Such is the nature of politicians; however, that's not to say that all politicians are not truly horrified by such events. Senator Murphy's speech said exactly what many of us were thinking.

Look, I believe in the right to bear arms, but the LAST thing I want to see Congress do after a school shooting is nothing. Unfortunately, that's likely just what we'll get.

What are we doing?

My reaction to every event is immediate consideration of how it could have been prevented. Watching the scene unfold live on CNN, I thought about how most schools probably don't have the same security systems as Loudoun County. Would better security have stopped this from happening? What about armed teachers? Better mental health monitoring? Metal detectors? Gun regulation?

The answer, of course, is never that simple. Politicians will debate (or, more accurately, point fingers over) all of these solutions incessantly, but they will arrive at the same foregone conclusion that nothing can be done. For if progress is made on one side, the other cannot stand it. And so more children must die while politicians refuse to compromise.

What are we doing?

Truthfully, I didn't intend to write about this, but Murphy's speech kept running through my head, prompting too many questions that I didn't have answers to. Congress will continue to offer condolences, statements of frustration and anger, and potential bills, all inevitably arriving at zero net change. Thus, the parents of 18 murdered children will receive no consolation, however small, in knowing that future shootings may have been prevented. Regardless of your political affiliation, that's simply wrong. As I considered this, I recognized not the futility of the political structure, but merely its brokenness. There is always hope that things will get better; each new generation brings new minds, new people, and new attitudes towards progress. The current generation of politicians will be known for petty quarreling and, ultimately, inaction; my greatest hope is that future generations, including mine, establish a reputation for compromise and progress toward a common goal of the improved safety and well-being of America.

I hope y'all enjoyed reading my thoughts on this whole situation, if "enjoyed" is the correct word for it. I just felt like I had to put my thoughts down somewhere, so I appreciate you taking the time. I don't mean to be too pessimistic, but events like this expose the very worst parts of our society. Hopefully we see some positivity come through it all.

-Emory