School Shootings: Statistics and The Terror Factor
Another week has gone by and more students have become statistics of gun violence in our K-12 school system. Kendrick Castillo died protecting his classmates and was deemed a hero. He deserves the highest honor. You and I will probably never have to deal with an active gunman and it’s far more likely that we’ll die crossing the street or getting in a car crash. The risk of being shot and killed at a school or synagogue, mosque, church, temple, video game tournament, movie theatre, park, post office, concert, nightclub, government building, military base, or college is minimal, but it’s terrifying.
It’s not the idea of getting shot that scares me, but the terror factor. We can’t walk a few blocks without thinking of the risk of being a victim of a violent crime. We’re afraid to go to all of our favorite places and prefer isolation in the safety of our own homes in a violent world. Humans are social creatures and NEED to be among their peers. What do we do if we’re seeing a movie and a gunman enters? Do we arm ourselves everywhere we go? Should we remain alert at all times as if we’re in a war zone? Do we take a risk running out of the theatre or charging the attacker? Should our teachers carry weapons? Would I even want some of my old teachers to have a gun? These are harmful ideas that have gone through my mind in case I’m ever in an active shooter situation.
These aren’t healthy thoughts. They are painfully created and invasive. I don’t want to think about getting shot and losing the use of my legs, arms, or wearing a catheter for the rest of my life. Now, we even have active shooter drills in elementary schools post Sandy Hook murders. These drills are about as useful as Duck & Cover in a nuclear blast. We all knew about the Columbine massacre growing up, but that was considered to be an isolated incident. I’ve never participated in an active shooter scenario. We didn’t have them when I was in school. Recalling back to high school, it had crossed my mind about what I’d do if a shooter came into the classroom. I told myself that I’d rush the attacker like this Colorado hero did, but who knows? The reality is that I likely would have died a victim along with my classmates, not a hero.
The reality is that we’ll probably never be shot in a public place or even be a victim of gun violence. But, we don’t measure the terror factor like we should. These shootings keep us afraid and it’s horrible for our mental health and as wealth inequality continues to get worse and we continue our descent into feudalism, the shootings will increase in frequency. In a developed and powerful country, surely we should not have to concern ourselves with the terror of being shot or our children being murdered while learning. I don’t want to live in a world where I think about dying when I’m seeing a movie or catching up with friends at a bar. I fear for us.
You are a hero, Kendrick. I wish that you did not have to die and that your family did not have to suffer the loss of a child.
