A note to my neighbour to the south
Hi! I live right above you. I am the quiet neighbour that you usually ignore. I sometimes ask to borrow some flour or a book but I am quiet and I like to keep to myself. Mostly, I think we get a long pretty well.
I appreciate your boundless energy and enthusiasm. You like to take risks where I prefer to play it safer. Your ability to dream big and achieve big things amazes me. I often wonder what will be the next big thing that you will surprise the world with. Your capacity to respond to crises around the world is impressive.
You are probably wondering why I am writing this note to you.
I am worried about you. There have been some things that have concerned me and until now I have not been sure how to approach you. However, I feel that as your friend I need to say something to you.
Even though we are the closest of friends and neighbours, we have different ways of approaching things. Usually our differences have caused no problems between us, but I feel that I have to say something to you about your approach to guns.
The latest incidents of mass shootings that have taken place in our neighborhood have shaken me. I know that as the neighbour on this side of the fence, I really should mind my business, but I feel compelled to say something.
I want to know; Why?
Why has the indiscriminate shooting of innocent people been allowed to continue?
Why have your schools become places of violence where students and teachers have been killed?
I thought schools were safe places for children. They have become places of fear, violence, and death. That the horror of gun violence has become part of the fabric of your education system is frightening. School should be the last place that a teacher or a student should worry about losing their life and it has become a regular occurrence in your neighborhood.
According to the Archive of Gun Violence, there have been over 300 incidents of gun violence since June 3.
According to a study carried out by the Washington Post, there have been 327 incidents of school shootings since the Columbine shooting in 1999.
I am shocked by these numbers my friend. I don’t know what to say.
I will admit that we have our own issues with guns in this neighbourhood and we struggle with how best we can address our issues.
My question to you is what are doing about your issue?
After every shooting that has occurred at a school, your elected leaders are quick to send their thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims. Those same elected leaders have been quick to assign blame and say that something has to be done. There have been 327 shooting incidents at schools, over 327 press conferences, hundreds of funerals and the shooting continues.
Why dear friend? Why?
As your friend and neighbour I beg you to make it stop.
I worry for you.
