The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

All The Difference

For the fourth consecutive year, there have been more than 70 school shootings in the United States, affecting people across the nation. A quote that I heard recently stuck with me: “Brown University was the United States’ 391st mass shooting this year. Bondi Beach was Australia’s first mass shooting this year. The Difference? Gun control legislation.” This stark comparison highlights how policy can make a difference in preventing gun violence, and it indicates the need for stronger legislation.

What's in our minds?

As finals season rolled in across all the universities in the United States, the thoughts of many students, including myself, were focused on passing the classes we had worked so hard for. At Brown University, it was the same until it wasn't. College students occupy a middle ground between responsibility and vulnerability. We are told that we are old enough to vote and protest, but too young to make the decisions that unfailingly affect us, like those involving gun legislation. Universities do everything in their power to keep everyone safe, but no protocol can substitute for the gun violence that rocks our nation every day.

We're all connected

I learned of the Brown University school shooting through a group chat with my high school friends. With some people from my high school attending this university, it was unreal to think that someone I passed by and spoke to was there, in danger. The students who died had bright futures that abruptly ended, and the students who were there will be scarred for life. Safety should not be a privilege based on luck. It should be the baseline that we strive to provide for everyone. Ensuring safety is a fundamental right that we must all advocate for.

Instead of reassurance, we need accountability to build a safer future for everyone. Why aren’t we involved in decisions that directly affect us? Our shared value of protecting each other should drive change. After the shooting, there was solidarity, but not enough focus on prevention. This must change, or more children will be at risk. Think of how many lives could have been saved and how many will be if we take a stand now.

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