When will it stop? That is the question that is on everyone’s mind after the horrific shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde. 

Within the span of 10 days, two shootings shocked America, as eleven adults and nineteen children were killed in cold-blood. First at a Buffalo supermarket, and then at an Uvalde, Texas elementary school. 

The Buffalo shooting is currently being deemed as a “race-based” attack. The shooter “planned to keep driving and “shoot more black people,” Buffalo’s police chief told US media” according a BBC article by Mike Wendling. This shooting became the 4th large racially motivated shooting in the US over the last couple of years, and for a country that has supposedly “made the turn” on its racist past, its becoming a real problem. 

“It speaks to where the foundation of this country really lies,” said college Associate Dean Laura Kingston. “the racism in this country exists on a much deeper level than we all think.” 

It may not seem so prevalent in real life, but go online; racism and hatred run rampent and unchecked.

The internet has become a place for these hate-filled individuals to spread their “messages” and influence others to think the same thing, it’s what lead to Buffalo, and also what lead to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Ulvade, Texas. 

19 Children. 19 innocent children and 2 adults were murdered in cold blood at that elementary school. And for what? It seems to be the case every time there is a school shooting, some kid had uncontrolled access to gun and fell into the hate-filled lies on the internet.

While less is known about the Uvalde shooter NPR reporter Jaclyn Diaz reported that it all points at the two big issues that America currently faces. Guns and racism. 

“There had been no evidence of mental health issues prior to the violence,” said Diaz.

In another NPR article,  Saeed Ahmed points to an alarming fact.

“Today is day 145 of the year, and the country has already experienced 213 mass shootings so far.”

The fact that so much violence can happen in such a short amount of time points at how bad America’s gun problem has become. Think of all those grieving families, the futures of each of those killed in these shootings.

No other developed first world country in the world has a gun problem like America does. And this isn’t a new reality.  The 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Uvalde shooting look almost identical, the only difference is that they happened 10 years apart. 

“I remember being a sophomore in high school when I joined the fight against gun-violence,” said Oregon State University student Audrey Porter, “and the fact that I’m about to be a junior in college and barely anything has changed disgusts me.” 

The fact of the matter is that nothing has changed.

Anyone over the age of 18 can still gain access to a gun. The country’s background check system clearly doesn’t work well as there have been multiple instances of mentally unstable people gaining access to guns before these shootings.

Almost half the country and it’s politicians believe that the right to own a gun has to be completely protected and nothing can change. And in the end, all we end up with is more innocent Americans dead, and all we can do is give our “thoughts and prayers”. 

So what responsibility do we have in times of crisis?

We have a responsibility to act. Take actions against violence, hatred and racism. The thoughts and prayers will never be enough. We, as in all of America, including those affected and not-affected by violence, hatred and racism have to take a stand, we’ve had enough prayers

“We need to encourage our politicians and government officials to protect their citizens,” said Bishop Blanchet student James Nichols, “to stop the political savvy and actually make it seem like they care about us.”

Until there is real change in the background check system, gun laws, and the racism that still lies deep, America will see more of the same violence. So take action, don’t be afraid to speak out, inform others, donate, fight for everyone’s right to live like its your own, and maybe one day something will change.