It’s Sunday morning as I type this, the day after a bloody day in America. Unless you live under a rock, you know why.
The elected official in me – indeed, the human – is outraged. 29 dead YESTERDAY ALONE in mass shootings because America refuses, collectively, to take the policy steps necessary to deal with these tragedies. To act on responsible violence-protection measures which could stop this bloodshed. To condemn white supremacy as a society and rid ourselves of it, root and branch. To adequately fund mental health initiatives which could save lives.
Our cowardice will condemn us all.
Alright. That’s not even the rage-fueled reason I’m writing today, although Lord knows that I could go on for hours about it, and that people much smarter and eloquent than me can and are doing the same. The reason I’m writing today was inspired by this tweet:
Two thoughts: First, this is beyond awful. Second, yes. How many of us have had similar thoughts? You’re just at the mall with family and friends, having a grand old time, and suddenly brought out of your pleasant state by wondering, “Hey, if there’s a shooting, what do I do?”
These thoughts are disturbing, intrusive, unpleasant, and slightly necessary. While the odds of any of us actual being involved in a mass shooting remain low (despite the rise in recent years), the possibility always exists, and it makes sense for all of us to be prepared and aware of the potential danger.
But society has now evolved to the point where, to an extent, we are all wondering about mass shootings. Every time I drop my kids off at school, I wonder about it. It’s in the back of my head, and depending on world events or my mood, it may be front and center. How many of you feel the same?
I would never claim that the pain of any of us not involved in a shooting like this is anywhere near the trauma of someone who was directly involved, so please don’t misunderstand. But, the elected official in me wants to make sure that we are clear about the damage that guns are doing to ALL OF US in society, and that they have changed the way we live in America to a constant state of fear and, as the tweet above puts it, a “low level anxiety.”
I can think of at least two broad and real examples. First, to those of us who are already prone to anxiety/stress and already likely thinking the worst, it gets your guard upon a near constant, low-level basis. It gives you a very real fear to focus on, and that, in turn, can pull you out of a sense of joy or relaxation you are feeling.
Second, and I’d say more damaging, is the impact these mass shootings has on kids. I was speaking with a group of guidance counselors a few weeks ago, and they were telling me how many students they speak with – on a regular basis – who are terrified that they will become a victim of a mass shooting. Again, as bad as things are in America, the odds of that happening are still low. However, the rise in shootings, the nature of our interconnected world and the ubiquity of technology magnify the odds of this occurring. This is particularly true for children or teenagers who don’t have the skills to know that the odds of this happening are still relatively slim. As a result, kids are scared to go to public, safe places – and this includes schools. What kind of damage will this have on them as they grow? As they attempt to learn or find safety and comfort?
We don’t have to live this way. And if we’re ever going to find the courage to actually not live this way, we have to acknowledge the impacts which gun violence has on every member of society, beyond those who are directly effected. The touches everyone of us.
Mike Schlossberg - Author 