By: Claude Cummings, Jr.
Every heart of Texas hurts for El Paso. Senseless murder driven by hatred that destroys families in ways they will never repair has shocked and deeply saddened all the communities in our state. What is even more tragic is the occurrence of multiple mass shootings within a very narrow period of time.
More than a week ago, a gunman killed three people and wounded more than a dozen in Gilroy, California. And just a few hours after the horrible shooting in El Paso, another gunman killed 9 people and wounded another 27 people in Dayton, Ohio. Our nation is in a real crisis! Lord knows that the thoughts and prayers expressed to comfort the victims and families of those killed and injured are very necessary, but we must accept that the Declaration on Mass Shooting in El Paso, Texas, none of them is adequate. Thoughts and prayers without the will or courage to act is a shameful negligence that can no longer be tolerated.
251 times this year only lives ended, and families were destroyed by murders mass. Again and again, we absorbed the shock, shook the sadness and then went to our business, until it happened again and again, and again, and again. These high profile shootings are only the most visible consequence of uncontrolled access to weapons. Daily violence with firearms in the United States leads to an average of 100 deaths per day.
It is not enough to point to elected leaders and say “do something” before continuing with our lives. They will offer comprehensive words for the victims and speak hard about the murderers. But don’t expect any significant action. They will not act until we do. Elected leaders know that most Americans support universal background checks and other common sense weapons laws. Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell know that the House of Representatives has already passed a background check bill that Americans support in all areas. The leadership of the other party also shares some guilt. They have underestimated the danger of hatred and the crude calls for racial division.
Too often they have absorbed into their own internal differences. They lose focus on their responsibility to not only oppose in principle, but to do work hard to prevail and win. Weapons laws will not change until we change legislators. The violence will not end until we choose leaders with the will to end it. We must decide what kind of country we want and what kind of people we want to be. We can respond to El Paso, Dayton and other mass shootings again by pointing to politicians and saying, “Do something.” Or, we can break this unacceptable and inexcusable cycle of violence by uniting, mobilizing and putting legislators in charge with the courage to go beyond thoughts and prayers.
CWA District 6 Vice President Claude Cummings, Jr. heads CWA’s Human Rights Program.
