On March 27, Audrey Hale entered Covenant School, a private academy located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, using three guns to fire 152 total rounds in the span of 14 minutes, before being killed by the police. After searching her home, police found a manifesto and maps of the school that included entry points. She had purchased 7 guns legally and planned the attack for months in advance. She had even planned on attacking another school; however, she aborted those plans due to the school’s presence of security. After yet another school shooting, varying opinions between conservatives and liberals on what America needs to do next regarding gun laws and security are being brought to light. 

    Liberals in the United States believe that stronger gun laws should be enforced, in hopes that this would decrease the number of mass shootings and murders caused by automatic weapons throughout the nation. Their voices were heard when local Nashville mothers led over a thousand people to protest at the Tennessee state house, chanting “Do you even care?” and “No more violence!” while holding up placards that read, “We have to do better.” One mother who joined the protest stated, “To be a voice for the children, to prioritize their safety, I felt a duty to be here.” This caught the attention of Democratic Representative Bob Freeman, who claimed, “They’re out there right now. They’re begging for us to do something.” Freeman addressed lawmakers in the House chambers, calling for laws that he considered to be “common sense.” which include background checks and potential warnings that would prevent individuals who appear as a potential threat from possessing firearms. 

     On the other hand, conservatives have pointed to another issue that they believe plays a key role in allowing school shootings to happen - lack of security in schools. Right-leaning individuals have stated that “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” claiming that having a larger security presence would be able to stop the shooter before they open fire, or at least to prevent the most deaths they can. Conservatives have noted that it takes a significant amount of time for police to respond to school shootings. According to the National Sheriff’s Association, the average school shooting lasts 12.5 minutes, while the police response time is 18 minutes on average. Conservatives have also put an emphasis on schools detecting warning signs from students, as well as the mental health crisis occurring in the country. Oftentimes students who open fire on schools show warning signs in and out of the classroom, including posts on their social media pages that go ignored or do not gain enough attention. Mental issues have proven to be a common motive among individuals that cause mass murders, such as the Tops Market shooting, where Payton Gendron’s mental state was made worse by being isolated during the pandemic when he spent his free time researching white supremacy ideas. Other societal issues in the country have been brought up by Republican politicians, such as when former US President Donald Trump held a meeting in the White House regarding the concern of the violent video game culture. 

    As American politicians from the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States continue to go back and forth on how to handle this crisis, the average American has little control over the next steps the country will take. However, the common citizen has better control over his or her personal life. For example, parents should ensure that they have a strong relationship with their children while monitoring their mental well-being, as police tend to find signs and plans of an attack in the shooter’s own bedroom. It is also important that US citizens vote, as the alarming number of school shootings that have taken place this year will impact the 2024 Presidential Election.

Over the years, there has been an unbelievable increase in gun violence; specifically, mass shootings in schools. We are now the generation of violence, death, and disparity. In the past, a school shooting would bring the nation together to grieve and grow. Currently, a school shooting is quickly forgotten about as another occurs the following week. We are now the generation of mass homicide and trauma. A generation where too many people can relate to each other on the topic of gun violence.  

I hoped and believed as a student, sister, and daughter when being told about school shootings that as I went into high school, it would no longer be an issue; that change would occur. Yet, as I went into high school my hope declined. I began hearing of school shootings more frequently. I remember dreading bus drills where we had to learn the steps to take if an accident were to occur. Little did I know, later on, I would come to dread a new drill. A drill where I would learn the steps to take if someone were to come to my school and fire a gun at students and faculty; fire a gun at children. A drill where I am told to hide in the corner and pray that my life is not taken.  A drill that would become the norm for millions of other children. A drill that sadly, would prove to be much more useful over the years.

Children and young people are dying. Unfortunately, in 2020, firearms surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for children ages 1-18. Every day, one in twelve kids die from gun violence. As of April 24 this year, there have been 18 school shootings. The number of school shootings in 2023 is more than four times the number of months that have passed. So far in 2023 13,386 people have died from gun violence in the United States, as of April 26, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This is an average of roughly 117 deaths each day. A mass shooting is defined by the Gun Violence Archive as an incident in which four or more victims are shot or killed. There have been at least 172 mass shootings in 2023 so far. These mass shootings have led to the death of 554 children ranging from ages 0-17 years old. Every year, an estimated 3 million children in the US are exposed to shootings. 

We are in a nation where there are more guns than people. One where the first resort is violence. The media's focus on the person behind the trigger undermines the experiences of those in front of the gun. Witnessing shootings—whether it be in a school, home, or in the community, has devastating effects. We the people…a line that is supposed to exude freedom. Yet, we the people continue to suffocate in violence. We the people continue to inflict harm and pain. We the people have been conditioned to think that buying bulletproof backpacks is normal. We are not truly free until children can walk the hallways without fearing for their life; until people of color can go into their local grocery store without being targeted. We the people must come together and find a solution.