Four years ago, December 14th marked the 28th mass shooting incident since the expiration of the assault weapons ban that had been passed by California Senator Dianne Feinstein. The ban lasted from the year 1994 to 2004 and had become a part of federal law; until Congress let it expire. Since the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2013, there have been 207 school shootings in the United States, a staggering nearly 1 per week.
Since then, Congress has not done a single thing to try and further prevent events such as this one. Following the third deadliest shooting in the history of the United States, you’d expect action from the government, especially where children and education are concerned; there hasn’t been. There has been action at a state level to try and protect its people, but without the backing of the federal law, most of these efforts fall short and Congress isn’t lifting a finger to change this.
The United States, it seems, has fallen into a horrific cycle of events that leaves little room for anything but its repetition, unfortunately. First, there will be a shooting and it will shake the country to its core. Flags are flown at half mast, students are taking a moment of silence in school. Second, the government will take a vow to stand up for its people and protect us. They promise change and action. Third, we talk about it. Journalists latch onto these stores and report on them for weeks at a time. Faces of deceased teenagers and children are emblazoned across the front pages of newspapers, evoking sympathy for those families and bringing out a rage that brings people together. And, lastly, nothing. Nothing happens. We move on. Communities band together and hold vigils, local school see an increase in mental health issues among their students and a decrease in enrollment, but in the end it’s over and we can heal.
The government would like us to believe that it’s over after one incident. That once we’ve healed from this tragedy, our president will be able to proudly claim that it’ll be the last of its kind, but that’s simply not true.
Congress hasn’t made a real effort to make these events the last. With members of the Republican party claiming that the proposed The Public Safety and Second Amendment Rights Protection Act : “would not have prevented any of the recent atrocities that have affected families in our nation.” (Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb) and so helpfully pointing out that the assault weapons ban “did not stop Columbine,” (Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa) it’s become nearly impossible to get our government on board with changing anything. The defeatist attitude many politicians are presenting gives this country no hope for a future of safety, because so many of them would rather comfortably not deal with the situation at hand. Meanwhile, the NRA lobbyists are cheering and Senator Dianne Feinstein of California puts her head down and continues her mission of 20+ years in trying to protect the country she loves.
I encourage, and challenge, you all to join the cause and fight to make sure the deaths of 26 school children and their educators were not in vain. Stand with leaders like Senator Feinstein, stand with your community and the organizations that support the end of gun violence. That’s how we’ll end the cycle.
