I've been reflecting on the recent events about school shootings and there's a lot to address. A University of Utah student was shot and killed recently and has me thinking about the state of the nation... These events happen so often that it's disgusting.

The first time I can clearly remember talking about school shootings was when I was in first grade (the fact that it starts that early is extremely disheartening). At the time, school shootings were a new thing to me. A Virginia Tech student killed 33 students and faculty members and wounded many others. My teacher tried her best to explain what happened and that we shouldn't be worried about it since Roxbury is a "safe" place.

It was a conversation that made me feel uncomfortable and I hoped to never ever have to have it again. Yet, here we are again. And again. And again. This time, I'm the one breaking the news to my little sister. What shocks me is how unfazed she is because she knows it has happened before. She's only nine. It's odd how desensitized most of us are towards the topic. These events pop up on the news and we are just so used to them when we shouldn't be.

We are constantly having this conversation, but no action is happening. I've had enough. A lot of other people have had enough. There's no reason why teachers should have the need to arm themselves when they go to work. There's no reason why students have to be scared when they go to school. There's no reason why parents have to worry that the next time they see their child is when they're in a casket. It's time to take action. Nothing will happen unless we take action. It's simply Newton's Law: An object doesn't move unless a force is acted upon it.

You're probably asking yourself, "What impact will I have? I'm only one person." Well, there's a lot you can do. Email your representatives, senators, and other government officials. Tell them how you feel about the recent current events. Bombard them with letters that they can not ignore. Midterm elections are quickly approaching and our representatives need to take our opinions into consideration. Regardless of political affiliation, I believe it's safe to say that everyone wants a safer learning environment.