Nineteen children and two adults dead. I have written about far too many mass shootings in the United States since I started this blog 17 years ago, and far, far too many that have taken place in schools. Here are some resources for talking about the tragedy with children, taking action to help the victims’ families and community, and furthering gun control.
I have written about far too many mass shootings in the United States since I started this blog 14 years ago. I feel like I am repeating myself when I post about my fears—for my son, for all our children, for all of the children who will grow up without one or more parents lost to gun violence. When we tire of talking about it, however, we give the victory to those who support lax gun regulations or who use gun violence to express hatred and bigotry. Forgive me some repetition, therefore.
Wishing peace, strength, and perseverance to all who are gathering today to speak out for gun control and to end gun violence in our schools—especially the young people who are leading us where we should have gone long ago.
A deadly attack on a crowd in New York City. A mass shooting in Texas, leaving at least 26 people slain. It’s easy to feel despair when this comes only a month after the largest mass shooting in American history, and after years of similar tragedies. What can we do?
I was going to write something different this morning.
Then a man opened fire on a crowd in Las Vegas, leaving 59 people dead and 520 injured.
As a parent, few things scare me more than school shootings. That’s one of the reasons I’m keeping the following in mind as we head into election season.
Today’s post is a guest piece by Nadine Smith, co-founder and CEO of Equality Florida, the state’s largest organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. She is also a mother—and while she doesn’t speak explicitly about parenthood here, she speaks to a topic that many of us parents (among others) are thinking about these days.
Gun control is only one part of what our country must do to reduce the chances of another school shooting like the one December 14 in Newtown, Connecticut—but it is a vital one. There are a number of petitions out now to let our elected officials know our thoughts on the matter. I’m highlighting a petition and a pledge from Moms Rising because they’re good folks who do a lot across the board to help those of us who have the honor of being called moms.
