Las Vegas…

Hello

I usually don’t post opinions about news topics, but I feel like I need to after what occurred this weekend. I may offend some people, but these are my thoughts at this time. I do not believe that guns should be taken away, but I do believe in gun regulation.

What happened on Sunday night in Vegas is tragic, horrific and disturbing  in so many ways and in so many manners. But, we have been here before and there’s no doubt, that we will be here again.

Something that really got to me, though, was the reaction of my boys. If something happens overnight in the news and may be talked about at school, I tell the boys before hand so they are prepared and can ask questions about the event before heading off for their day.

Monday morning I told the boys there was a mass shooting in Las Vegas. A man shot from a hotel room into an outside concert. At that time, he killed 40+ people and injured 400+, so this will be considered the largest mass shooting in American history.

Boys: “Oh wow.”

“Do you have any questions about any of this?”

Boys: “Nope.”

And. That. Was. It. My boys have been exposed to so much gun violence and mass shootings, that it doesn’t even warrant a reaction. They have become desensitized to gun violence. That’s a hard one to deal with…for so many reasons.

I find it disturbing and heartbreaking that our children in today’s society are numb to mass shootings. No, I don’t want them to be scared about going on their daily lives, but how can they not be affected or have a reaction? I’m being honest, my boys have been accustomed to shootings. It makes me sad, outraged, sick and disheartened.

Later, Sam and I talked about his reaction. He told me “I expect it to happen because it goes on all the time. It doesn’t surprise me anymore. It’s normal.”

 I agree 100% that we need to honor and remember those that have passed in gun violence (MUCH more than all the details on the shooter/s lives) as well as those who have been effected due to gun violence. But maybe it’s time to put people’s lives, people who are alive, before a gun, so we don’t have so many to honor that are killed during these mass shootings.

After Sandy Hook, after kids were gunned down and laws didn’t not change, I realize, sadly,  that gun laws are not going change. Unfortunately, a mass shooting is going to happen again and again and again. It’s become a ritual in our lives: a shooting, sadness, everyone posts condolences, prayers, the fight for gun regulation starts, too soon to talk, talk about it later, spin the topic, it will be headline news for 2-3 days max, immediacies goes away and that’s it. If you keep doing the same thing, you will always get the same results…or worse.

So I have come to realize, but not accept, that I need to bring my boys up in a world where mass shootings are a fact of life. I need to teach them how to survive that scenario. Just like how we have talked to the boys about getting out of the house during a fire…how to get out, where to go, who to call and what to do if your clothes catch on fire (stop drop roll). The same for tornadoes…where to go in the house, when to take cover, how long to stay, always take your shoes and when it’s ok to come out.

I now need to do the same teaching for shootings. I need to tell them how to duck, cover and run. I need to tell them when they hear the shooting pause, it’s probably reloading and might be a time to run or stay put if safe. I need to tell them to keep a door shut (if they are in a safe place) until you know for sure it’s the police knocking on the door.  I need to tell them look for  two exits when going to places. I need to tell them how to army crawl. I need to tell them if they are hurt, use your shirt to help stop the bleeding. Not to scare them, but so they know what to do if one of my boys are in such a horrific situation.

Does this sound extreme? Absolutely. Do I want to have these discussions? Absolutely not. Do people think I am being ridiculous? Some. But this is the world that I am raising my boys in and they need to be prepared…just in case.

Am I playing victim, I hope not. I have contacted my congress members, put my little voice out there for my boys, because I have hope.  Is there more I could do, probably. I do tell my boys that there is always hope, there’s something bright in a bad situation, be kind to others, honor life….it matters. Above all, I try to keep communicating with them and they can talk to Jason and I about anything (which has had lead to many interesting conversations) and that they are safe and so very loved.

❤️