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No More Thoughts and Prayers…It’s Time for Action

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Muhlenberg chapter.

February 14th, 2018, a day that should be filled with love, sweets, and the markings of a Hallmark holiday is now forever tainted with the memories of gun violence, loss, and anger. The day where the world is supposed to celebrate love has now become another reminder of why we can no longer ignore one of the country’s largest problems: gun violence and more precisely the lack of gun control laws that keep allowing tragedies like this to occur.

Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting of 2014, there have been more than 200 additional attacks, resulting in the loss of more than 100 children and teachers.  In the words of one survivor, David Hogg: “We’re children. You guys are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role.”

Source: Vox

Stop placing the blame on victims because they “could have said something” that could have prevented this.  There are tons of “could haves” that may have been able to prevent this awful tragedy from occurring; yet the simplest solution seems to be one that no lawmakers will look into… gun regulation.  The weapon that the perpetrator used was a military level grade weapon; what purpose does a civilian have for this weapon other than to spread violence and death? 

Our current legislation prohibits people from buying handguns until they’re 21, yet there is no law preventing anyone 18 or older from buying a military grade weapon…If this isn’t the wakeup call that opens Congress’ eyes to the nightmare that is our gun control legislation, then I have lost even more respect for the country that I call my home.

How many more school shootings will it to take to pass legislation that will protect us? How many more children and educators have to die until we take action? Enough is enough… there are no excuses for the events that occurred on February 14th, nor the previous 200+ school shootings. Our greatest threat does not lie in an international terrorist organization, but within the hands of our own citizens.  

It is time to take action. It’s no longer enough to send thoughts and prayers to the newly devastated community, because if history has shown us anything, it’s doomed to repeat itself.  We cannot continue through this cycle of violence and ignorance; we should not have to fear for the safety of our children, but we do so it’s up to us to fight.  

If you don’t know who your representative here is the link so you can find out. Go online, sign a petition, get involved in your local community, and pledge your support if you want to help be a part of the change that our country so desperately needs.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/15/us/school-shootings-sandy-hook-parkland.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/15/were-children-you-guys-adults-shooting-survivor-17-calls-out-lawmakers/341002002/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/history-of-gun-control-legislation/2012/12/22/80c8d624-4ad3-11e2-9a42-d1ce6d0ed278_story.html?utm_term=.66fad2d379cf

 

Sarah Coffel

Muhlenberg '21

Currently a junior at Muhlenberg College studying Media & Communications and French.  I'm a Jersey girl born and raised that loves sushi, makeup and has a very random assortment of songs in my Spotify library 
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Ali Senal

Muhlenberg '18

Muhlenberg '18 Grad with a BA in Theatre and Jewish studies. My hobbies include sleeping, movies, and spreading vegan propaganda. Former Editor-in-Chief of Muhlenberg Her Campus.