Take action, not just pray

“Today is the 144th day of 2022. The Uvalde shooting is the 212th mass shooting of 2022” (Public Citizen).

On May 24th, 2022, the deadliest school shooting the United States has ever seen occurred at Uvalde, Texas. An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and 2 teachers within a single hour. After shooting and killing his grandmother in the morning, Salvador Ramos entered Robb Elementary and shot any child in his way.

Having these 21 children in your thoughts and prayers is NOT enough. No child should go to school with the fear of not returning home safe. Change is required; simple gun-restriction debates on social media are not enough and it is up to the 50 senators who protect our nation to implement real strategies and plans. For example, the H.R.8 bill has been waiting to be voted on for 2 years: the result would “utilize the current background checks process in the United States to ensure individuals prohibited from gun purchase or possession are not able to obtain firearms” (H.R.8 bill).

Unfortunately, most shootings are not a result of poor gun ownership restrictions but of racial hate crimes. A clear example of this was the Buffalo shooting the Saturday before; a white man, motivated by hate and racism, shot and killed 10 people in a supermarket in a predominately black neighborhood. A week before, a black man, motivated by hate and xenophobia, shot and killed 3 Korean women in a Texas hair salon.

Although eliminating racism cannot be passed by law, stricter gun laws can and should be the first step to eliminate these horrors from happening in the future. Color For Empowerment encourages you to call your senators, take action, have these conversations with your friends and family, and strive to make America a safe environment.