Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back after the holidays and illness. Being sick during Christmas is not fun, and I do not recommend it. I’m on the mend but still have a nasty cough. But enough about that.
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Today, I want to talk about the mass shooting in Wisconsin that occurred before Christmas. Two people were killed at the Abundant Life Christian School, a teacher and a student, and several other people were injured.
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This shooter was a young girl who took her own life when she finished. Why is this happening in the United States?
Half of the world’s developed countries had at least one public mass shooting between 1998 and 2019. However, no other nation saw more than eight incidents over twenty-two years, while the United States had over one hundred with almost two thousand people killed or injured. Mass shootings are unique to the United States alone.
These statistics alarm me. The majority of these shooters have mental health issues, that’s evident, but what can we do? We need to do a better job protecting our young people.
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In Australia, who had a mass shooting issue similar to ours, they banned rapid fire rifles and shotguns. They also tightened their licensing regulations, and over the next decade gun deaths dropped by 51%.
That is huge. So, the answer is right in front of us. We need stricter gun laws. There’s no other way to look at it. I know the 2nd Amendment enthusiasts will scream bloody murder, but I’d rather have them scream and throw a fit than more young people dying. Wouldn’t you?
Photo credit: Mykl Roventine on VisualHuntNot only do we need stricter gun laws, we need to make our schools safer. How is it that these young kids are able to sneak a gun into school? We need better security in our schools. Metal detectors at the doors. Every school should have one.
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We also need better mental health services throughout our communities for people who struggle with mental illness. I know it will cost money, but what’s the point of sending our kids to school if they’re not safe? I see online programs becoming used more frequently just for this reason, and maybe that’s the answer. But that has drawbacks, too.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!
