While I wasn’t onsite at the Jacksonville Landing during last Sunday’s mass shooting, I got to participate in the medical response. Having now seen the results of one of America’s frequent mass shootings with my own eyes, I have a lot of feelings. I’m writing this the day after. I was up most of the night, and before I can get to my other work today, I have to get something out. I’m not writing this to convince gun enthusiasts; I’m fully aware plenty of readers will never change their minds no matter what happens, and this isn’t for them. This is a lament.
In 1999, when I was in sixth grade, two teenagers out in Colorado purchased ammunition at K-Mart and, using guns legally obtained for them at a gun show, opened fire in their school. There was no substantive change in gun laws, but a lot of schools installed metal detectors and beefed up their security.
“This is the cost of freedom,” we were told.
Schools were no longer safe.
In 2007, when I was in college, a student at Virginia Tech with a diagnosed mental illness legally obtained semi-automatic pistols and went on a murder spree around campus. There was no substantive change in gun laws, but a lot of colleges beefed up their security and began running mass shooting drills.
“This is the cost of freedom,” we were told.
College campuses were no longer safe.
In 2012, when I was in divinity school, a man in full tactical gear, armed with tear gas and legally-purchased semi-automatic weapons, opened fire in a Colorado movie theater. There was no substantive change in gun laws —in fact, gun sales spiked—, but movie theaters started playing a short, surreal safety briefing amid the previews.
“This is the cost of freedom,” we were told.
Movie theaters were no longer safe.
In 2015, a white supremacist with drug infractions legally purchased a semi-automatic pistol and shot up a church in Charleston. No change in gun laws. “Cost of freedom.”
In 2016, a known anti-LGBT bigot with a history of domestic violence and threats of workplace violence legally purchased firearms and carried out a mass shooting in an Orlando night club. No change in gun laws. “Cost of freedom.”
In 2017, an anti-government conspiracy theorist purchased an arsenal of 55 firearms (primarily rifles equipped with bump stocks) and opened fire above a Las Vegas concert. Not only has there been no change to national gun laws, but a promised bill banning the sale of bump stocks (which even had the initial token support of the NRA) has been indefinitely stalled by Congress. I guess this must still be the “cost of freedom.”
Of course, I haven’t even mentioned Sandy Hook or Parkland or San Bernardino or the slew of other attacks, but there is one I must bring up:
Yesterday, here in Jacksonville, a man with known mental health issues opened fire with his legally purchased firearms after losing in a Madden ’19 video game tournament. Based on all the previous incidents, I think I know what our leaders’ response will be.
So, just to recap:
We can’t feel safe at concerts.
We can’t feel safe at clubs and restaurants.
We can’t feel safe at movie theaters.
We can’t feel safe at colleges campuses.
We can’t feel safe at schools.
We can’t feel safe at churches.
We can’t feel safe at video game tournaments.
And we have no idea what atrocity the next news cycle will bring.
Look, if all this carnage is what “freedom” looks like,
I’d be just fine giving some of it up.