For my project I will be revolving it around gun
violence in America. When I was in 8th grade I was given the
opportunity to receive a class ring. This ring was a big deal to everyone in
the class and we were even having a ‘ring ceremony’ in the afternoon of our
school day, where our families came out and we had a little service, sang some
songs, and then had some cake. That day was supposed to be a fun day, and a joyful
occasion. . .but that day was also December 14th. Approximately 9:30am on Friday, December 14th,
20 year old Adam Lanza shoots his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School. He
first kills Dawn Hochsprung, the principal, school psychologist, March Sherlach,
and injures Natalie Hammong, the vice principal, while I was bringing lights
down to the gymnasium. Adam Lanza then enters a classroom, kills 14 children,
the teacher Lauren Rousseau and the teacher’s aide. Adam Lanza enters one last
classroom and kills 6 children, the teacher Victoria Soto, and finally himself,
and I was rearranging chairs. All within eleven minutes, their lives were taken
away from them. These children, 6-7 years old, now never get to grow up and
prepare for their ring ceremony. . . they never get graduate school or fall in
love, or learn how to drive a car. . . because Adam Lanza, a documented
mentally ill person, had access to a semiautomatic rifle and two handguns.
When I was a sophomore in high
school sitting in math class I received a text from my mother telling me to
call her. I excused myself from the room and waited for her to pick up. Over
the phone she explained to me that a girl that I was once best friend’s with
when we were about 5, sister had shot herself. I was not that close with her or
the family anymore due to life drifting us apart from one another, however,
every now and then we’d bump into each other and I’d ask how everyone is doing.
Her sister was depressed for a long time after a certain incident happened, she
ignored it and told everyone else too as well. They also ignored the pistol her
father kept in the safe, before she had touched it, it was left still for
months, due to the ultimate fact of not having any use for it.
Now in college, I wake up for class and do what any
normal person does now a days and check their social media feeds. All I see is
red. On October 1st, 2017, Stephen Paddock shot straight into a
crowd of 22,000 people at a concert in Las Vegas. 58 people murdered and over
500 people were injured, 15 minutes of nothing but gun shots. . .
If I had to say anything about these events, it would
be that they have seriously had the most impact on my life. After the Las Vegas
shooting I was reading statistics left and right. Below are the ones that are most
significant to me:
“On an average day, 96 Americas are killed with guns”
“62% of firearm deaths in the US are suicides”
“Seven children and teens are killed with guns in the
US on an average day”
“In an average month 50 women are shot to death by
intimate partners in the united states”
“America’s gun homicide rate is more than 25 times
the average of other high-income countries”
I’m 18 years old, going to college in hopes of becoming
a federal agent. I want to have the chance to make a difference in people’s
lives. I may not be able to change the world (however never say never) but I know
this challenging, exciting job will be filled with rewarding moments. But with
being an agent it also means carrying a fire arm. I will and do carry these
events that had happened during my life time along with me in the back of my
mind. Every time there is something that happens with a gun that shouldn’t had
happened, it helps me know that I have the correct conscious to do a job that
demanding, because I am reminded and able to see why it is wrong and what
should have been done to stop it.
Being in a position where I am not yet able to do
much on the topic, other than protesting, and being aware with what is going on,
I wanted to dedicate something to all of those who have lost their lives to a
gun. I am currently in the process of creating an Urn. A urn is a usually a tall vase, that is used
for storing the ashes of a cremated person. This urn will have elements all
over related to gun violence in America. However, instead of holding ashes I will
use it to display 18 roses for the most recent who have lost their lives to a
gun, but I will not classify them as that because they are so much more. The 18
roses will represent Alyssa, Scott, Martin, Nicholas, Aaron, Jaime, Chris,
Luke, Cara, Gina, Joaquin, Alaina, Meadow, Helena, Alex, Carmen, Peter, and lastly
my old friend’s sister. To your beautiful souls.
Once finish I will hope to display it where the world
can see. . .social media. Please stay tuned and help me spread awareness.
So to those who lost their lives in a mass shooting, suicided,
domestic violence, war, etc. this is for you..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX4qUsgHa4Y
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jimmy-davis-the-city-of-bayonne-movement?recruiter=507474584&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jimmy-davis-the-city-of-bayonne-movement?recruiter=507474584&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_term=share_petition
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