How many people, especially children need to be shot to death, or wounded at their schools before we, as a country, finally do something definitive about this epidemic? People are all upset, anD rightly so, about the opioid epidemic, but do nothing about the gun violence epidemic! Should the NRA be in the position to dictate legislation? 90 people will be shot to death today, tomorrow, etc. unless we stand up and do say NO MORE.
4
I feel sick reading this story. I can barely get through it. Yet, I keep reading. I want to feel horrible feelings so that I get a teeny tiny sense of what it's like to live it.
I keep reading because I feel an obligation to be AWARE and AWAKE to our collective lack of integrity and caring for our children, our teachers and our schools.
Newtown happened and nothing changed. Now...endless shootings. How many this month?
I want to maintain some hope that things will change. But what's the tipping point?
What has to happen for 11 school shootings in 15 school days in one month in 2018 to stop???
I keep reading because I feel an obligation to be AWARE and AWAKE to our collective lack of integrity and caring for our children, our teachers and our schools.
Newtown happened and nothing changed. Now...endless shootings. How many this month?
I want to maintain some hope that things will change. But what's the tipping point?
What has to happen for 11 school shootings in 15 school days in one month in 2018 to stop???
7
We’ll just pray. We pray that no one tries to take our assault weapons away from us.
2
Maybe the LEOs could start making PSAs about gun violence and sensible gun laws. If you want to stop these things you need to stop providing guns to children. Instead of being silent on this issue and being complicit with the gun industry, stand up and say that lax gun laws are a danger to our towns.
4
We have a compassionless president and a gun crazed culture...
Guns don’t solve problems..people solve problems. People who care solve problems.
Guns don’t solve problems..people solve problems. People who care solve problems.
5
It's curious that the pro-gun crowd -- which includes just about all of small town rural Republican Kentucky -- sees nothing 'unconstitutional' about banning guns from airports and airplanes but goes '2nd Amendment crazy' at the slightest suggestion that schools might want to employ metal detectors to keep guns from blowing their kids to smithereens in the middle of class. Instead, they want to arm all teachers (the "good guys with guns") so they can engage in roaring shoot-outs with school shooters (the "bad guys with the guns") in crowded classrooms and cafeterias, but seem to accept how crazy that same idea is if applied to airports and airplanes. Then again, if they were smart, they wouldn't be living in small town rural Republican Kentucky.
13
This morning I woke up to a White House email (whoever pens those things has the thankless task of making it sound like we actually have a competent adult at the helm of our country) with the heading "An American in Switzerland." Trump is not just in Switzerland - he is in Trumpland, where school shootings don't exist, and if they did, they'd be somebody else's problem, because they're certainly not his. I am disgusted and saddened by the lack of empathy and caring on behalf of not only the President of the United States but so many of my fellow citizens who are it seems happy to sit by and let the children of this country shoot and kill other children AT SCHOOL, which is supposed to be a safe haven for all children no matter what is going on in the world. There are no words left to say about it. Except one. SHAME.
4
Any comforting words from Fearless Leader or is he too busy reviewing Wall specifications?
27
Don't worry folks, this didn't really happen. "Crisis actors" and a plot by the government to take away your guns. Remember, the only thing that can stop a bad student with a gun is a good student with a gun. Insanity.
25
I totally understand the overwhelming emotions that would be caused by responding to a school shooting where one might know the victims. And the pain, grief, and rage that would result from such a shooting in any case.
But I don't understand why these people vote for Republicans supported by the NRA, who are a big part of the reason such shootings are becoming more prevalent. If you don't want kids to get shot in schools, you can't vote for Republicans. If you do vote for Republicans, because you hate abortion or Mexicans or whatever, then you are basically accepting a school shooting every two days.
So I hope for the best for people affected by the 11 school shootings so far this year, and by the one tomorrow, and the one three days from now, and so on. But if they vote Republican, I have to assume that they accept these shootings as part of life, so I can't concern myself with it too much.
But I don't understand why these people vote for Republicans supported by the NRA, who are a big part of the reason such shootings are becoming more prevalent. If you don't want kids to get shot in schools, you can't vote for Republicans. If you do vote for Republicans, because you hate abortion or Mexicans or whatever, then you are basically accepting a school shooting every two days.
So I hope for the best for people affected by the 11 school shootings so far this year, and by the one tomorrow, and the one three days from now, and so on. But if they vote Republican, I have to assume that they accept these shootings as part of life, so I can't concern myself with it too much.
36
I would have helped your worthy cause if instead of "these people" in the beginning of your second paragraph you had written "many of these people".
2
their is only one possible cure for this blight guns must be banned. i don't think the screeners at nyt favor this idea i imagine they would prefer a nicer solution but unfortunately nothing else will work and save lives. pity but there you have it
please stop deluding yourselves and act.
please stop deluding yourselves and act.
3
A society and culture that is subservient to a minority of citizens — the gun lobby, from manufacturers to zealots — is doomed to what is a definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Conservatives and Republicans own this. They are trapped by their superstition that the only thing that guarantees their freedom is guns being freely available. The real freedom that is actually lost because of this false superstition is public safety. America simply keeps getting farther away from being great.
Eclectic Pragmatism — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
Eclectic Pragmatism — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
17
For all the thoughts and prayers, nothing changes. Congress is silent. Donald is silent. Billions for a wall, but nothing to help the overburdened and underbudgeted school phycologists and guidance counselors. A drop in the bucket for the opioid epidemic and school bullying is rampant. Gun owners have to take responsibility too. How many young children accidentally killed a sibling or friend because they found and played with a gun. Is there mandatory insurance like we have for cars or any reg that can prevent someone under the age of 18 getting their hands on a gun?
Children are not a commodity that is easily replaced.
Children are not a commodity that is easily replaced.
26
Well they voted for everything that lead to this. So thoughts and prayers. And nothing else.
27
I moved from NY to KY, and now work in KY public schools. When the topic of the shooting came up yesterday, I quickly realized that I was the only person in the lunch room that does not own a gun. And my co-worker said her church is sponsoring a trip to a gun range. I am no religious scholar, but how can a church think that is normal? Christ had a message of peace, and there is nothing peaceful about guns. The hypocrisy is mind-boggling.
76
These shootings are part of what Kentucky has agreed to as a state. Most voted for tRump. Most own guns. Most support the NRA. It does not appear to bother them that their governor was first in line on the work-for-health.care scheme. My God, they voted in Mitch McConnell!
One does not get to live without shootings, high school ones no less, when one has made bad decisions en masse. They’ve agreed to dance with devil. As a result, they will have high school shootings. I have no sympathy whatsoever. How about they pay taxes for mental health help for the young? How about they come into the 21st century with most of their thinking?
59
I agree with the gist of this letter, but I do have sympathy. I have never felt that the sins of the parents should be visited upon the children. And I do believe other states have had their share of shootings (school and otherwise) too.
The thoughts and prayers ought to be sufficient, just like they were for every mass shooting or school shooting since Newtown.
27
11 mass shootings in the US so far this year - in less than one month. At this rate, if this statistic proves predictive, we'll have well over 100 mass shootings in 2018. Has the US declared war on itself?
20
Very true Stephen, and I will donate three thoughts and two prayers to this particular school shooting. I'd give more, but I have to save them for the next several shootings that will occur over the next month, nearly all in areas that vote for Republicans by some weird NRA affected coincidence.
28