Reflecting on Uvalde

In the wake of a new Department of Justice report we must once again reflect on the systemic failures which lead so many meaningless deaths in our country. 

The 575-page report found that twenty months ago in Uvalde, many of the casualties could have been prevented with an adequate law enforcement response. The shooting led to the deaths of 19 children and two teachers in Texas. 

This highlights an aspect of gun violence which is often overlooked: the difficult relationship between law and enforcement and guns. Guns make cops less safe. 

The fact that an eighteen year old with an assault rifle is daunting to local law enforcement is deeply shameful, but also understandable. This is a military weapon which should not be in the hands of the public!

We need common-sense gun legislation. One step in that direction is reevaluating what weapons everyday people, including those with severe mental illness, have unrestricted access to purchase. 

In a study by Pew Research, we see that over 90% of those polled believe that some restrictions should be in place for people who suffer from mental illness. There is also a growing trend in the number of those that believe assault-style weapons should be banned, or heavily restricted.

And while the stigma around mental illness continues to be pervasive in our culture, we must also take into account the types of behavior and patterns that tend to manifest into a mass shooting event. 

It is possible to achieve both better mental healthcare, as well as better policies on gun ownership. 
 

It starts with begging the question: why does anyone need a weapon of war? 
The AR-15 has been used in a staggering amount of mass-shooting events. But other assault-style weapons with high-magazine capacity have also been a go-to for these tragedies. 

And the reasoning is simple: these weapons were designed and sold to cause a mass amount of damage in WAR. 

An elementary school isn’t a warzone.
A concert isn’t a warzone.
A family gathering isn’t a warzone. 

But with the massive appeal and availability of these weapons, we have seen them become those sights of horrific violence.

There is a better way forward, and we believe it starts with our voices and our efforts. Please know we are committed to ending this epidemic of gun violence and are so grateful for the support you give that allows us to press for a better tomorrow every day.