Do something: Mass shootings cannot continue

Here we go again.

Fourteen dead and several others wounded in San Bernardino, Calif.

Three dead, several injured and others held hostage at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Conversations continue on whether or not the problem revolves around gun control, mental health or terrorism.

Soon we’ll know more about the shooters and their motives. You know, the usual.

We’re seriously back here in such a small amount of time?

More than a month ago, I wrote a column about the Umpqua Community College shooting and how we had to put the humanity back into these occurrences. No more statistics, no more rhetoric.

And I’m not talking about just giving “our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this tragic event.”

As the harsh New York Daily News front page puts it, “God isn’t fixing this.”

Once again, we seem to be left with nothing more than the same “which way should this argument go” lip service and the following new statistic for shock value: there have been around 355 mass shootings – that’s four or more people struck by bullets in an incident – this year. Yes, we’ve had more shootings than calendar years.

Don’t just share your acknowledgements on social media and call it “progress.”

We need to do something. Anything.

Tell your legislature that we need to take corrective actions, not just talk about this.

Do some research on how other nations have dealt with similar catastrophies (specifically Australia).

Don’t just list off “mental health solution” as a talking point, but look into ways to help the cause in your own community.

This needs to end now.

No more excuses.

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