TAG You're It!
It's almost cinematic. Dream-like. We reside in the suspension of disbelief. We as a nation are running out of time. We are running out of words and phrases. In 2018 alone, the school-related shootings are mounting. Our schools, the students, the staff are under seige...and it keeps happening.According to CNN, they report, "We're 21 weeks into 2018, and there have already been 23 school shootingswhere someone was hurt or killed. That averages out to more than 1 shooting a week." Don't believe me?January 20th-Winston Salem, North Carolina: A Winston-Salem State University football player, Najee Ali Baker, was shot to death at a party on the campus of Wake Forest University.January 22nd-Italy, Texas: A 15-year-old student was wounded in a shooting at a high school in Italy, Texas, authorities said. The suspect, also 15, was quickly apprehended.January 23rd-Benton, Kentucky: A 15-year-old student shot 16 people -- killing two other 15-year-olds -- at Marshall County High School, authorities said. The student faces two charges of murder and 12 counts of first degree assault.January 31st-Philidelphia: A fight led to a shooting in the parking lot of Lincoln High School, fatally wounding a 32-year-old man.February 1st-Los Angeles: A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head and a 15-year-old girl shot in the wrist at Sal Castro Middle School in Los Angeles, officials said. Two other students were grazed by bullets. A 12-year-old girl was booked for negligent discharge of a firearm in that shooting, which was considered "unintentional," Los Angeles police said.
February 5th-Oxon Hill, Maryland: A high school student was shot in the parking lot of Oxon Hill High. The victim was treated and later released. Police arrested two teens and said they are acquaintances of the victim.
February 9th-Nashville, TN: A high school student was shot five times in the parking lot of Pearl-Cohn High School.February 14th-Parkland, Florida: A 19-year-old man gunned down students and staff with a rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, slaughtering at least 17 unsuspecting students and adults. The shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had been expelled from the high school over disciplinary problems, officials said.*******
February 27th-Itta Bena, Mississippi: A person was shot in a rec center at Mississippi Valley State University. Police said the person was not a student and the injury was not life-threatening.February 27th-Norfolk, Virginia: A student at Norfolk State University was shot from an adjacent dorm room while he was doing homework. He was not seriously injured.March 2-Mount Pleasant, Michigan: Two people were shot to death at a dormitory on the campus of Central Michigan University. The victims were not students and police think the incident stemmed from a domestic situation.March 7-Jackson, Mississippi: A student was shot inside a dormitory at Jackson State University. His injuries were not life-threatening.March 7-Birmingham, Alabama: One student was killed and another critically wounded after an accidental shooting during dismissal time at Huffman High School. Police wouldn't elaborate further.March 8-Mobile, Alabama: One person was hospitalized after a shooting at an apartment building on the campus of the University of South Alabama.March 13-Seaside, California: A teacher accidentally discharged a gun during a public safety class at Seaside High School, injuring a student.
March 20-Lexington Park, Maryland: An armed student shot two others at Great Mills High School before a school resource officer fired a round at the shooter. The shooter was killed. One of the students, 16-year-old girl Jaelynn Willey, was taken off life support two days later.
April 9-Gloversville, New York:A student shot another student with a BB gun in Gloversville Middle School.April 12-Raytown, Missouri: A man was shot in the stomach in the parking lot of Raytown South Middle School during a track meet.April 20-Ocala, Florida: A 17-year-old student at Forest High School was shot in the ankle shortly before students were to walk out as part of a national protest against gun violence. The suspect was a 19-year-old former student.May 11-Palmdale, California: A 14-year-old boy went to Highland High, his former school, and began shooting a semiautomatic rifle shortly before classes were scheduled to begin, officials said. A 15-year-old boy was struck in the shoulder.May 18th-Santa Fe, Texas: Ten people were killed in a shooting at Santa Fe High School.******May 25th-Noblesville, Indiana: Two people were injured when a gunman opened fire at Noblesville West Middle School in Noblesville, Indiana.Are you exhausted yet? Reading through these headlines and thinking, "That seems unreal?" But it's not. It's real. It's someone's truth. The victims, the families, the students who survived and see the scenes of horror played out in their heads on a constant basis. PTSD backlash with a confetti of triggers. Don't think it's over for them. Or us. Or me.Shock.Disgust.Nighmares.Permanent Damage.I just attended our school's high school graduation. That morning, I was succombed to a numbing sensation at the thought of these victims not attending their own graduation ceremony. I thought of the teachers and staff that will NOT be there to cheer their students on like I did, like I get to do every year, Lord willing. So sobering, I'm bereft of any consolation in this instant.I almost didn't go. The captures of the victims, as I scanned each image of the last two shootings with the most casualities, looking for seniors who weren't going to attend. It was like a 1,000 bricks were on my chest. It was even hard for me to get dressed. My fingers became salty tissues to wipe my decendant tears. I finally shook off my compassion fatigue and drove towards the UIC Pavillion to celebrate my seniors who made it. Who weren't caught in a senseless crossfire in our halls, in our classrooms.Yet, we have a response. I have one. We will not relent. In light of all these merciless school shootings, Project 214 recently launched a new extension of the organization called TAG-Teachers Against Gun Violence. Our goal is to impact future gun policy, attend marches, create awareness, contact state representives, and wiggle our way into forcing change into the atmosphere. I am currently my school safety liaison, and we are making phone calls and sending emails to important people in this conversation, pressing for a sitdown.TAG
TEACHERS-AGAINST-GUN-VIOLENCE.This will not be our normal as a nation. Policy cannot make it this easy to purchase fire arms.How about:
- Family background checks.
- Raise the age limit.
- Ban assault weapons.
- BAN Bumpstocks.
- Trainings on how to lock up your guns.
- Kids leading the charge. Adults trailing behind.
Whitehouse please. Congress stand up. Marchers, march on. Grieving parents, raise hell.Some events around the bend for TAG & Project 214. God-movements undway. Esther courage mounting. We will not be swayed. Faith-filled folks need to be at the epicenter of this conversation. We will, and we are.Faith without works is dead. James 2:26 is literal to us now as a nation. Faith without works of action are dead, but this time, we are talking bodies.Damn it, not one more.In honor of: Wear Orange-National Gun Violence Awareness Day