WE SHOULD RESPOND TO VIOLENCE BY INVESTING IN FAMILY

In the span of 11 days, we witnessed domestic terrorist attacks at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, a church in Laguna Woods and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. I feel profound sadness and anger at these acts and location of the acts, as they are so relatable to our everyday lives. I feel anxiety for the security of my three schoolaged kids, anger at the 50 Republican senators who obstruct the overwhelmingly popular universal background checks for purchasing guns, and frustration at our singular and shortsighted approach to the issue.

When reading of the latest school shooting, my impulse is to think through my kids’ school security plan. I wonder how such heinous acts can be prevented through physical force and police presence. Funding for this type of security at every school would be nearly impossible for school districts so regularly faced with layoffs and particularly for older districts with diminishing student enrollment (and declining funding as a result). I think about teachers who have one of the most critical jobs in our society. They have to worry about overcrowded classrooms and lack of support, in addition to the safety of their students. Just unconscionable.

I also wonder about the effectiveness of over-policing at our schools, seeing as the shooter at Robb Elementary School in Texas last month was not brought down by the officers who were first on the scene, but by a tactical team of Border Patrol agents using a ballistic shield. Nonetheless, an immediate reaction and safety plan is essential.

To the 50 Republican senators led by Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell who obstruct universal background checks on a federal level, you should not have the privilege of being public servants. On a national level, nearly 90 percent of the population supports universal background checks to purchase weapons. This is not a partisan issue; this is a public safety issue.

Semi-automatic rifles like AR-15s and AK-47s should not be sold to the public. These weapons were created for war. Although I understand enthusiasts’ joy in firing these guns at ranges or in the countryside, we have witnessed the results when they fall in the wrong hands.

Solutions that are halted on a federal level are linked to campaign donations.

Combined, the 50 Republican senators have received millions in campaign donations through gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association. Although membership for this organization is widespread, the interest of the NRA is the protection of gun manufacturers for more robust sales, not its membership or public safety.

I believe we must, above all, look at these mass shootings comprehensively.

I feel this is, at its core, a family issue. I wonder what’s happening inside our homes that radicalize young men to make them act in such a way. Do violent video games normalize violence through weapons? Where were the parents in these situations? Where was the guidance, love and nurturing?

I come to the conclusion that we must invest in our families.

We as parents stress and worry about keeping up with our financial responsibilities. One job should be enough. Parents would then have more time to spend with their family and kids.

We must invest in our families through free activities. We need robust programming for school, after-school and community activities. Our community centers, parks and community pools are all opportunities for an increased quality of life and would create a more harmonious environment for our families to thrive.

We need to invest in our families through counseling availability, mental health support and emotional maturity courses — all of this with the intent of building a stronger system for our families to prosper. This is possible, with an almost $100 billion surplus at the state and nearly half of that total unassigned. We can do this now.

Lastly, as a person of faith, I believe that our first church is our home. Some questions to ask are these: Are we taking care of our family? Are we raising our children right? Am I being a good role model? Am I doing everything possible for us to have a better life? Will our efforts lead to community benefits and a better generation who will help create a brighter future for all of us?

Only time will tell, but I believe we all have a role to play, and this issue, along with our future, is in every one of our hands.