Something's Gotta Give for Gun Safety
When I attended Soren's first kindergarten meeting, all the expected questions about curriculum, play, and school culture were posed. Then, a parent raised their hand and with a shaky voice asked about lock-down drills. It was in that moment that I realized this was not normal. That weekend I attended my first event hosted by Moms Demand Action for Gun Safety and became an accidental activist.
I have since learned that through marching, calling legislators and representatives, and raising awareness about gun violence that there is a ripple effect on reducing racial profiling, shedding light on mental health issues, reducing domestic violence fatalities, curbing suicide rates (the 10th cause of death in the U.S.; 50% are gun-related) accidental gun deaths and improving the safety in all of our communities.
Why do I continue to go on about this? Gun violence claims 93 lives on average per day. There have been 223 school shootings since Sandy Hook School in December 2013. By the time you read this, there will likely be another. A few weeks ago Soren had his cousins over. They were in his bedroom happily setting up little homes and worlds for their teeny characters. I asked what they were up to, and Soren cheerily reported that they were getting everyone ready for a lock-down drill. I repeat: THIS IS NOT NORMAL.
Thank you so much for your support. I promise to keep up at this for all of us.
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