Today, on the 144th day of 2022, the 212th mass shooting occurred in the United States.
This time, it was at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The death toll is between 18 and 21 people. Most of the victims are small children who will not reach the age of ten.
Depending on the news source, there have been between 24 and 27 school shootings in this country THIS YEAR.
311,000 children have experienced gun violence since Columbine in 1999.
According to reporting from NPR, firearms were the leading cause of death for children from 2019 to 2020.
How many of readers of the Blog for Arizona knew that?
This is the United States of America.
Schools should not be a potential daily death trap for children and educators.
President Biden Reacts to Today’s Horrific Shooting.
The reaction to today’s horrific shooting unfortunately followed a familiar pattern. This includes:
- Grieving for the victims.
- Why and how could this horrific event occur…again?
- When will it ever end? When will these mass shootings decrease? When will children and educators be safer in schools?
- When will elected officials (mainly Republicans) act and enact common sense gun laws?
Coming back from Asia, President Biden spoke to the American People about today’s horrific school shooting in Texas.
Accompanied by the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, the President, speaking from personal experience, offered prayers and comfort to the parents and families of today’s fallen, saying:
“To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away. There’s a hollowness in your chest. You feel like you’re being sucked into it, suffocating, and it’s never quite the same…”
The President then reminded people of some of the mass shootings that have taken place since Sandy Hook in 2012, including the supermarket shooting ten days ago in Buffalo.
He called for action to stem the growing tide of mass shootings, stating:
“As a nation, we have got to ask. When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name will we do we all know in our gut needs to be done?…I am sick and tired of it. We have to act. And don’t tell me we can’t have an impact on this carnage…We can’t and won’t prevent every tragedy…When we passed the assault weapons ban, mass shootings went down. When the law expired, mass shootings tripled. The idea that an 18 year old kid could just go into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong. What in God’s name do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone. Deer aren’t running through the forest with Kevlar Vests for God’s sake. It’s just sick…Most Americans support common sense laws. Common sense gun laws.”
President Biden also compared our rash of mass shootings to the mostly lack of them in other countries, offering:
“I just got off a trip from Asia…What struck me was that these kind of mass shootings rarely happen anywhere else in the world. Why? They have mental health problems. They have domestic disputes in other countries. They have people who are lost. But these kind of mass shootings never happened with the kind of frequency that happen in America. Why? Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God’s name is our backbone to have the courage to stand up to the lobbyists? It’s time to turn this pain into action...For every elected official in this country, it’s time to act. It’s time for those who obstruct or delay or block the common sense gun laws, we need to let you know, we will not forget...”
Reaction from Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
Before the President spoke, Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden offered their reactions to today’s school shooting in Texas.
Vice President Harris relayed:
“Enough is enough…As a nation, we have to have the courage to take action and understand the nexus between what makes for reasonable and sensible public policy to entrust something like this never happens again.”
Dr. Biden posted:
Lord, enough.
Little children and their teacher.
Stunned. Angry. Heartbroken.
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) May 24, 2022
Reaction from some of Arizona’s Leading Figures.
Below is reaction from a bipartisan group of leading Arizonans condemning today’s actions and offering comfort and prayers to the family’s of the victims.
While bipartisan sympathy is welcome, bipartisan action that result in the decrease in the number of mass shootings and times articles like these are written would be better.
This is heartbreaking and soul wrenching. Our prayers are with the parents, families, students and staff of Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX at this unimaginable time. Thankful for the heroic efforts of medical pros, law enforcement and community members who responded so quickly.
— Doug Ducey (@DougDucey) May 24, 2022
My heart is broken for the families in Uvalde. One mass shooting after another – thoughts & prayers are not enough. Our children should never go to school in fear they will be next, and no parent should ever have to experience this tragedy. We need common-sense gun reform NOW.
— Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) May 24, 2022
Our prayers are with the victims and their families of the despicable act of violence in Texas this afternoon. We must all stand together against evil and those who target our most vulnerable.
— Mark Brnovich (@GeneralBrnovich) May 24, 2022
My heart goes out to the families, students, and entire Uvalde community.
It’s been 10 years since Sandy Hook and kids are still being killed in schools. Have we really learned nothing or have our lawmakers given up on protecting our kids from senseless gun violence? https://t.co/CMgTQrMQyE
— Kathy Hoffman (@kathyhoffman_az) May 24, 2022
It infuriates me that Americans have come to expect that their federal government will once again react to the murder of schoolchildren by doing nothing.
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) May 24, 2022
There are commonsense reforms we can pass to reduce gun violence that align with our rights and are supported across the political spectrum. After witnessing yet another tragedy, Arizonans are right to expect action from Washington.
They should demand it.
I know I will.
— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) May 24, 2022
14 children. And a teacher. Heartbreak on top of so much loss already this month. After so many of these incidents, this must be the one that causes change. #EnoughIsEnough
— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) May 24, 2022
My heart breaks for the children, families, teachers and the entire community of Uvalde, Texas. As a mom, no parent should ever endure the loss of a child to such a horrific mass shooting.
— Regina Romero (@TucsonRomero) May 24, 2022
When will enough be enough? Our Country has failed on taking action on gun violence and innocent people pay the price. From Buffalo NY to a TX elementary school – we have a responsibility to act. I send my prayers to all families impacted. It's horrific. https://t.co/ho1IczL8Gd
— Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (@RepKirkpatrick) May 24, 2022
Tragic events in Uvalde, Texas today. Please join me in praying for the victims, the injured, and their families.
— Debbie Lesko (@DebbieLesko) May 24, 2022
Ten days after a hateful mass shooting in Buffalo, 14 school children and a teacher are killed in Uvalde.
We have surrendered our communities and our children to an endless parade of tragedy. Enough with the thoughts and prayers: we must take action and confront gun violence.
— Ruben Gallego (@RepRubenGallego) May 24, 2022
My heart breaks for the children, families, and parents in Uvalde.
We've seen this too often and know it's not enough to send thoughts and prayers.
We must enact policy and change. https://t.co/TBLE4g6h8a
— Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) May 24, 2022
To the entire Uvalde community, I offer my deepest and most sincere condolences, though I know no words can ease your pain. We need action. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/Yi8Ais0FA8
— Rep. Tom O'Halleran (@RepOHalleran) May 25, 2022
We can't go on like this, waiting for tragedy to strike. It will, again and again, if we don't act.
Words alone won’t stop these tragedies.
Congress must have the courage to protect our children and pass common sense gun safety laws. And we must do it right now.
— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) May 24, 2022
The time for gun reform is past due. Thinking of the families and the anguish this horrific attack has caused. We need to be asking every political candidate and politician what they will do regarding the gun violence epidemic. When is enough enough? #TimeisNow #GunReform https://t.co/6BxJxAGs9v
— Consuelo Hernandez (@Hernandez4pima) May 24, 2022
THE QUESTION REMAINS. WHEN WILL IT EVER END?
Cumulative trauma to the head…
Video at link. This is sad.
Aaron Rupar
@atrupar
Herschel Walker’s solution to school shootings involves “a department that can look at young men that’s looking at women that’s looking at social media.”
6:29 AM · May 26, 2022·SnapStream TV Search
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1529817124256026624
More: “Herschel Walker Twice Threatened To Blow A Woman’s Head Off And He Won’t Say He Supports Gun Reform”, https://www.politicususa.com/2022/05/25/herschel-walker-gun-laws.html
Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner, according to data collected by Everytown. Abusers with access to firearms are five times more likely to kill their victims. In the Texas elementary school mass shooting, the shooter first shot his grandmother, which is a pattern in mass shootings: ” In more than half of mass shootings over the past decade, the perpetrator shot a current or former intimate partner or family member as part of the rampage.”
Keep this in mind as you listen to twice accused of threatening to blow a woman’s head off and Republican Senatorial candidate Herschel Walker “answer” a question about guns after the horrific Texas mass shooting of at least 20 children and a teacher.
Georgia Senate GOP nominee Herschel Walker dodged CNN’s Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju‘s question asking if he believes there should be new gun laws in the wake of the Texas shooting by saying, “What I like to do is see it and everything and stuff.” [word salad.]
Video at the link.
If I could just send my fervent thoughts and prayers for stronger school doors to humans like Townsend and Cruz, that should be enough to protect our guns. After all, guns dont kill people, unlocked back doors, and lack of prayer in schools kills school children.
I’ve heard a few Texas Republicans on the TV and this time around they seem to favor the word EVIL. The kid who did this was just evil.
So what can you do about evil? Can’t take away everyone else’s guns because there are evil people out there. Can’t control evil people, they will always find a way to be evil.
Others, of course, talk about mental health, maybe throwing some money that way. But evil is a better explanation because a mental health discussion might lead to issues like universal healthcare and that’s off the table.
They really just want it to blow over like all the other massacres.
Primary Sinema Project
@PrimarySinemaAZ
Kyrsten Sinema and every other Senator who refuses to eliminate the filibuster and pass meaningful gun violence legislation should just keep their thoughts and prayers to themselves tonight.
7:20 PM · May 24, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
To quote the Drive by Truckers from their song “Thoughts and Prayers”:
When my children’s eyes look at me and they ask me to explain
It hurts me that I have to look away
The powers that be are in for shame and comeuppance
When Generation Lockdown has their day
They’ll throw the bums all out and drain the swamp for real
Perp walk them down the Capitol steps and show them how it feels
Tramp the dirt down, Jesus, you can pray the rod they’ll spare
Stick it up your ass with your useless thoughts and prayers
Stick it up your ass with your useless thoughts and prayers
Some people are tweeting pictures of these 4th grade children and we need to do that every day and force the GOP/NRA to accept their role in these murders.
The GOP/NRA help murder children.
In answer to your question, probably never, with the ease of getting assault guns in America and the lack of mental health counseling/treatment for isolated young (mostly) men. Some are saying this is just the “way of life” here in America. Another very, very sad day in the 21st century when children are gunned down at their school.