Before killing 19 pupils and two teachers in Texas, at an elementary school, a teenager shot and injured his grandmother. The law enforcement shot and killed the shooter. The massacre was the worst school shooting in Connecticut since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, and it happened just ten days after an 18-year-old self-described white supremacist stormed a grocery store in Buffalo’s African American neighbourhood.
According to Nicole Golden, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, Texas legislators have overwhelmingly opposed gun violence prevention measures backed by the majority of Texas voters. She also opposes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s proposal to provide arms to teachers.
The Attack
The incident was the bloodiest elementary school shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School murder in Connecticut in 2012, when a 20-year-old shooter killed 26 people, 20 of whom were children aged 6 to 7.
The killing in Uvalde occurred only 10 days after an 18-year-old self-described white nationalist stormed a grocery shop in Buffalo’s African American neighbourhood. He killed ten individuals, all of them were black.
The Problem
If more firearms had made the United States safer, it would have been the safest country in the world. That experiment failed everyone, especially the youngsters. Educators oppose the presence of firearms in classrooms. They are teachers; they cannot carry arms during the day while loving, supporting, and educating their kids.
According to the latest figures, nearly 4,000 Texans were killed by guns in 2020. This was an increase over prior years. As a result, there is an obvious problem, and the “more guns is the answer” narrative is also to blame. It’s simply unbelievable. It is, once again, not backed by those who teach the children. It is not widely endorsed by law enforcement.
The Reason
When lawmakers repealed requirements for training and license to carry a weapon in Texas during the last legislative session, citizens stood side by side with members of major law enforcement agencies, religious leaders, survivors, and teachers begging not to do so. Regardless, the Legislature passed it. The gun lobby in Texas appears to be extremely pleased with it. And look at the outcome.
Things are not improving. And, without a doubt, when the political will would be there, people must construct the infrastructure to see true change. Until then, let us keep working in communities to make a genuine change and create an immensely powerful movement to put pressure on authorities.