As I drove past a local school a few weeks ago, a troubling thought crossed my mind: “It’s been a while since we’ve had a school shooting.” Then I remembered that summer break was in full swing, and it hit me just how unsettling it is that such thoughts have become routine.
When I heard about the tragic school shooting near Spokane, Washington, I wasn’t shocked. A student had entered his high school with firearms and shot four of his peers. I should have been surprised, but somehow, I wasn’t. The feelings of sadness, anger, and frustration washed over me, but shock? That was absent.
This has become a scripted response. We discuss the number of victims, the heartache of their families, and reflect on the systemic failures that allowed this to happen. The routine is all too familiar. This time, however, it felt personal. I grew up in Spokane, and now I live just 80 minutes away from Freeman High School, where the shooting occurred. I think about how every parent and student in that community felt safe—until yesterday.
Our children, it seems, are not safe anywhere. Mass shootings in schools are a uniquely American issue. They occur here with alarming frequency, almost as predictable as the changing seasons. While other countries may see occasional incidents, none come close to the scale of what we’ve witnessed in the U.S.
The statistics are staggering. From November 1, 1991, until July 16, 2013, the United States experienced 55 school shootings that resulted in fatalities and had more than one intended victim. In that same time frame, no other nation reported more than three such incidents. Research from The Academy for Critical Incident Analysis at John Jay College reveals that between 2000 and 2010, the U.S. had nearly as many school shootings with multiple victims as 38 other developed countries combined—despite those countries having a population over ten times greater than ours.
And that’s only considering those with multiple victims. When including all school shootings, the numbers skyrocket. The Freeman High School incident marked the 31st school shooting in the U.S. this year alone.
Now, the debates begin. We argue about the influence of guns versus mental health issues or parenting failures. We present competing statistics, discussing how stricter gun laws might only hinder responsible gun owners while criminals will find ways to obtain weapons regardless. The conversations veer into the Second Amendment, the intentions of the founding fathers, and the ever-contentious comments sections become chaotic.
We hear that it’s “not the time” to discuss gun control. We’re reminded that while the number of school shootings is appalling, statistically, our children have a small chance of being victims. This downplaying of reality is troubling. We act as if America doesn’t have a gun issue, despite clearly facing a school shooting crisis. Our lawmakers often remain silent, doing nothing.
I understand this is a complicated matter that evades simple solutions. Many suggest that gun control wouldn’t necessarily prevent these tragedies. Perhaps the sheer number of guns in circulation makes it impossible to restrict access to the wrong individuals. Maybe it’s a reflection of our mental health services or the way media highlights these shooters. Regardless, we still need sensible and responsible gun legislation.
This is about principle as much as practicality. What does it say about us that we continue to ignore the alarming statistics and the devastating stories they represent? How can we witness tragedy after tragedy and not strive to reduce the chances that even one troubled individual can access a weapon? How can we look ourselves in the mirror as a society while failing to protect our children in their own schools?
America faces a dilemma: either we have a gun crisis or a societal issue—and both are concerning. Many say that guns don’t kill people, people do—but it certainly seems that our people are inclined to use guns to harm others. A friend of mine pointed out that America’s obsession with firearms makes us appear “absolutely insane” to the rest of the world, and I can’t disagree.
Now is the moment to reject complacency and engage in meaningful conversations about how we can build a safer society. Politicians engage in patriotic games, often neglecting the real issues while we resign ourselves to inaction. We begin to forget the urgency of this crisis until the next tragedy strikes.
Now, like clockwork, we’ll wonder when and where the next school shooting will occur. We’ll pray it won’t be our community. We’ll hope it won’t be our children.
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Summary
The article discusses the alarming frequency of school shootings in the U.S. and the societal issues surrounding gun control, mental health, and systemic failures. It emphasizes the urgency of addressing this crisis and calls for sensible gun legislation while reflecting on the tragic nature of these events.