The twenty-seventh U.S. school shooting of 2022 occurred 24 May 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. It is too much to bear. I am tired of politicians talking about praying for the families of the victims. It is high time we – they – DO something.
I don’t want to hear about mental health, candle-light vigils, the second amendment, or anything else except commonsense gun laws. President Biden says he’s tired of these massacres, well so are we all. And I can’t imagine how the people feel in every city in which these massacres have occurred.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was disingenuous when he talked about gun laws in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York not reducing gun violence. Sure, there is gun violence in those cities, but not mass murders in elementary and high schools, churches, and Walmart, for goodness’ sake. Since 2009, there have been over four mass murders in Texas’ schools, churches, and stores. I’d say there’s something bad wrong here that the Texas legislature can do something about. But I’m not counting on them.
For since 2009, the legislature has done nothing but loosen restrictions on guns. Rather than improving the “wild West” ethos in our state, we now have open carry laws, and gun buyers are not required to be trained on firearm use. People carry long guns openly. And who needs a semi- or fully automatic machine gun? They only are used for killing people.
It is a travesty that Governor Abbott, Senator Cruz, and others stood before us today and talked about improving mental health care when Abbott and the legislature refuse to expand Medicaid. Texas has more uninsured folks than just about any state. But I digress.
The Texas Governor and legislature need to ACT. Immediately. Abbott can call a special session and show Texans and the nation that he is serious about reducing gun violence in our schools, churches, department stores and other public places. If the governor and the legislature do not act, and soon, I say we, you and I, take our discontent to the streets as many did in 2020 over the murder of George Floyd. This time, it’s for 19 dead children and two dead teachers that we protest.
Yes, WE must do something, too.
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Speaking freely 
I agree, Pamela. Thank you for putting it so well. I applaud Beto for interrupting that ridiculous press conference and speaking for us all! If I feel this sad, confused and anxious after the past two weeks of violent gun attacks, it is hard to imagine the pain of those families and communities. Americans must rise up.
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Thank you, Pamela. We must stand up to those against gun control reform. Below are my thoughts from this morning, which I posted on Facebook.
“Here’s what NRA President and CEO, Wayne LaPierre, said right after the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012: “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” This has been the legislative mantra of our Republican friends since Sandy Hook.
So, the answer is to give the teachers a gun? What does an elementary school teacher do with a gun in her classroom? Wear it in a holster, while she’s bending over children to help them? Lock it in a cabinet where it will take her two minutes to find the key and open the cabinet door? How is it accessible in an emergency, but not accessible to children in the classroom? How does it prevent a tragedy against someone in full body armor and a semi-automatic weapon? And what service-oriented person whose dream it is to teach children would want to be responsible for a gun in her classroom? Who in their right mind sees arming teachers as a viable solution?
Meanwhile, after the Uvalde shooting, Senator Ted Cruz suggested that, had the door to the elementary school been locked, the shooting wouldn’t have happened. Does he think this shooter wouldn’t have looked elsewhere to shoot? Or that he wouldn’t have started shooting through the windows of the elementary school and into the classrooms? Who in their right mind sees locking the doors as a viable solution?
In yesterday’s press conference, Gov. Abbott suggested we needed to focus on mental illness. This is the same man who loosened gun purchase restrictions so that one doesn’t even need a permit to buy a gun. Who in their right mind thinks that a half-baked focus on curing mental illness is a viable solution?
And yes, Donald Trump also made it easier to buy guns when he was first president. Who thinks that this guy, who gives a thumbs up to the saying, “God, Guns and Trump” cares about a viable solution?
These four individuals are all speaking at the NRA convention tomorrow.”
Thank you for your words, Pamela, and for who you are!!!
Mary Z
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I agree Pamela, except for the 2nd amendment part. We should talk about and amend or repeal the 2nd amendment. It’s time to get rid of it and many of the 420,000,000 guns that are in this country.
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