Of all the abhorrent violence reported on in the media, the recent shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday, hit home the most for me. That is, because it is home. During my teenage years, I lived one mile from Douglas, and I attended high school there. I met my husband there, and will never forget seeing him for the first time, waiting outside the cafeteria for his then-girlfriend, after our last period study hall. I cannot imagine crouching on the floor in that same building, evading an active shooter, listening to the sound of gunfire and classmates’ screams.
What people in other parts of the country might not realize, is that Parkland, Florida, is a nice town. It is not a place where you could imagine anything like this taking place—not that anywhere is—and Douglas has consistently been rated one of the best public high schools in the state. It is a large school, with 3,200 students, yes, but big schools are the norm here, and it is located in a nice area. Parkland was recently named one of the safest cities in the state, and best place to raise a family.
We are not a nation at war. The United States of America is one of the most prosperous and peaceful countries in the world, and we are consistently failing to do the bare minimum for the most deserving members of our population, our children. Our children should not only feel safe in their schools; they should be safe. The students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School yesterday were not safe; they were placed in mortal danger.
When I was about seven or eight years old, I lived in New England, and I was at a shopping plaza one day with my family. My mom walked out the door, and before we could follow her, my sister and I were ushered into the back of the store by an employee. I heard shouting, and later learned that there was a man outside the store with a gun, threatening to take his own life. Police arrived, we heard yelling, and ultimately, a gunshot. It struck me then, and for a long time afterwards, that while help was so close, it could not reach him.
Perhaps part of the problem lies in the openness of the danger, and our inability to talk about it. We must stand united, and unafraid. We are a nation that has conquered war and disaster; surely we can find a way to send our children to school safely.
This is not a political piece. It is an acknowledgment, a statement, that there is a problem in our society. How we treat the most vulnerable people among us, our children, is a reflection of our priorities. As a mom, I want to set an example for my children, and emulate the values I hope to instill in them. I am not a politician, but I am a voter, and I like to think that we elect leaders under our democratic system of government that represent the capability to run our country effectively.
While this is by no means intended to be an indictment of our politicians, I address you now. To our politicians: do something. We chose you for a reason. There is a solution to this problem, and you, our leaders, are responsible to find it. Nothing divides our nation in the wake of a tragic, man-made disaster like this one. If it is possible to effect change, and I believe that it is, do something. Our children’s lives depend on it.
