As students, we have grown up in a world that has only known gun violence. In America, we pride ourselves on the strength of the country yet with every life taken at the hands of a shooter, we grow weaker and weaker. When violence strikes, we are quick to divide, point fingers at each other, and resort to anger instead of cooperating to create a safer, more united future.What happened to the days when Americans came together in the face of tragedy? 

The hostile political atmosphere we live in begs for societal polarization. We are driven by anger instead of compassion and empathy for one another. Our lack of emotional capacity, combined with the overarching political divide reinforces an Us vs. Them viewpoint. This is only amplified by a social media industry that preys on our need to blame. Gun violence is not solely a political issue, it’s also a human issue. This cannot be solved in a day but that shouldn’t discourage us from taking action. A right to bear arms does not constitute the right to kill. We cannot normalize deadly shootings as a daily occurrence in which we sit idly by without a second thought. 

We, as students, are being killed on a weekly basis. Is this what we’ve become? Why, as young people, should we worry about living to see tomorrow? Put down the phone and confront the world around you. Fight those feelings of helplessness and empower yourself to demand change in this country. We cannot become desensitized to the senseless violence being displayed to us on public platforms. The next time a news anchor reports about “yet another shooting”, don’t avert your eyes. Acknowledge it. Sit with that feeling of disgust, hurt, and uneasiness. Demand a future where gun violence becomes rare enough to be shocking again. 

Fight for the safety of your campus. 

Look forward to positive change in your news. 

Use the power of your voice.