It’s difficult to write about, but it’s a topic that must be addressed. The nation is mourning the careless loss of loved ones due to gun violence. It’s only been days after the massacre at Uvalde, Texas and my community and I are trying to understand and process the information we’re given from the news media. Here are some of the red flags we’re seeing and the common-sense change that we hope to see happen.
A Self-fulfilling Prophecy
Apparently, students can identify school shooters long before any crime is committed. Such was the case with the gunman's peers. They apparently nicknamed him"school shooter."
When I shared this with my high-schooler, she pointed out that some kids in her school are called that too, and she could name three of the troubled souls.
It's important that school administrators, counselors, and local police are doing something to help these individuals before they turn to the dark side.
Daniel has no Defense
As PR strategists, one of the shoes we would never want to fill are those worn by representatives of the criminally negligent. How a company can promote the use of a semi-automatic gun as a means for protecting a home is incomprehensible. That is what the maker of the gun that was used at the Uvalde massacre is promoting. They are just getting so many things wrong.
The day before the Uvalde massacre, the company showcased a photo of a semi-automatic gun, much like the one that the gunman used.
A week and a half before the massacre, the company posted a photo of a semi-automatic gun in a kitchen and asked to 'normalize' this. It's unfathomable.
It’s because of companies like this manufacturer that the government must step in and enact common-sense laws to make sure that violent products are not normalized.
Common Sense Laws
Type in “common-sense gun laws” and you’ll find information on Brady United. The organization was founded by Jim Brady, a Secret Service agent who was wounded from gunfire while protecting President Reagan during an assassination attempt in 1974. Brady United has made some progress with gun laws, but clearly not enough, they admit. The Uvalde school massacre is the tipping point, and we can’t go back.
The team at Brady United shares that gun violence has become the leading cause of death amongst American youth and that 40,000+ Americans a year die due to gun violence. As of May, America has witnessed over 200+ mass shootings in 2022.
Common-sense gun laws are just that. They make sense. Just like barrier installations have proven successful on bridges to reduce suicide attempts — simply by raising the railings and adding barriers — common sense gun laws will help to reduce the senseless loss of life that many Americans have grown numb to see.
Leave it to the comedians to shine light on how effective gun laws work. With their satire, they've reminded us how Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland have succeeded. Unfortunately, the US can only follow in their footsteps. Let us at least do that.
— HBT