Monsters live among us. Not the imaginary monsters children may think are lurking under their beds. I refer to real monsters in the shape of human beings. These monsters want to kill you and your family and friends and neighbors. They want to kill as many of you as they possibly can, and they want to do it as quickly as they can. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, or whether they know you. They want to kill you. You might be sitting in a parked car, sitting in your living room, walking your dog, or doing some other mundane activity while minding your own business. They want to kill you. And at the same time, ironically, your death means nothing to them.
According to Gun Violence Archive, as of this date (August 5, 2019) there have been 255 mass shootings in America this year. (Gun Violence Archive considers a mass shooting incident to be one in which at least 4 people are shot.) The number 255 may seem very high, but that is probably because most mass shootings are only reported by local news outlets where the shooting occurred. If 4 people are shot and injured, that won’t be on the national news. However, you needn’t take my word for it. Go to the Archive and click on Mass Shootings in 2019, and you can find the details: where, when, the incident report, and source material.
The mass shooting phenomenon in the U.S. seems to be escalating, and people appear to be getting numb to the phenomenon. They break out the clichés: “Our prayers are with you,” “We have to do something,” “It’s too soon to talk about it,” et cetera.
Of course, we know how to end it. We’ve always known. We could end it now if the majority really wanted to end it. But until we make that decision, the monsters will keep winning.
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