It Doesn't Have To Be This Way vs We Have To Get Over it

It happened again.

We had another school shooting yesterday, this time in Georgia. Four are dead, two students and two teachers. Nine others were injured. Surprisingly, this was the largest mass school shooting in the United States in 2024. I say surprisingly because we are so used to this occurring—so numb—that we are amazed there hasn’t been one with more deaths and injuries.

The responses are the same ones we’ve heard for many years: thoughts and prayers, it’s not the guns but a mental health issue, how did a fourteen-year-old boy get a gun, and how did we let a boy this age fall through the cracks. The same old same old—and then we move on until the next one.

Vice-President Kamala Harris took a different tact. Her response: “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

And she’s right. It doesn’t have to be this way. It’s well past time to do something so this doesn't continually happen. If you believe it’s the guns, how about gun reform legislation with teeth to it? If you believe it’s a mental health issue, how about increased funding for mental health facilities instead of making cuts that decrease their already thin resources? I realize that it’s deep into election season and what she said may only be a nice soundbite. But, let’s compare it to her opponent.

In January, there was a school shooting in Iowa. Donald Trump’s response was to give the pretend thoughts and prayers bullshit, but then he ended it with this:

“We have to get over it.”

No, we don’t have to get over it. We’ve been getting over it for far too long. Ask the parents of the students who were killed yesterday if they’re getting over it. Ask the parents of those who were killed at Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland and all the other schools that have had shootings if they are getting over it. Ask the parents who are scared to send their children to school today if they are getting over it?

Again we say enough. But, this time it may be possible to do something—anything—about this. If you care about this— and you damn well better because it can just as easily happen in your neighborhood—you have two choices. There’s the man who says “We have to move on” versus the woman who says “It doesn’t have to be this way.” Remember this when you cast your vote on November 5th. Your child's or grandchild's life may depend on it.