MA grapples with devastating tragedies across the country
Note to readers: The Talon’s View is our staff editorial. Each issue on the Opinions page, the staff editorial will address an important issue and give readers the consensus views of the Advanced Journalism Talon staff (or as much of a consensus as is possible on controversial issues). It is anonymously written to reflect group discussion and input. Through the Talon’s View, we hope to express the voices of students to the Minnehaha community. We welcome readers’ responses, which you can deliver to a Talon staff member.
Unfortunately, our world has undergone numerous tragedies surrounding gun violence in the past month. Shootings have become common, and communities have grown scared due to the results of these violent acts.
The Talon Staff feels deeply in regards to all of the disasters, but particularly feels affected by the shooting that took place less than 20 minutes away from MA.
On August 27, during the first period class, Minnehaha students were called into the locked school for shelter. Many confused faces turned sad and frightened when MA learned that there had been a school shooting in Minneapolis. Not knowing what to do initially, many began to pray.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey instantly alerted individuals saying, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying!”
Sadly, all in attendance of the shooting at Annunciation will likely feel uneasy in places of education and worship for the rest of their lives.
To ensure a safer environment, the Talon Staff believes that actions must be taken in order to ensure that events like these do not continue.
Part of the solution, for instance, needs to be centered around mental health.
One staff member noted, “One of the most basic problems in current society is the all-consuming hopelessness that permeates much of the youth today, most especially those that choose to participate in mass violence.
The problem comes from a complete disconnection from humanity and dignity, ergo a problem of mental health. Shootings are stimulated by a want for control, a thirst for meaning, and runoff from a culture that glorifies not just violence; but wanton violence.”
In addition to mental health, gun violence is a prolonged problem that society must stop glorifying.
The Staff believes that it requires extreme and detailed background checks on individuals who wish to purchase a firearm. This would in theory hopefully fish out suspicious individuals.
Although there would still be people that slide past this check, the test could really lower the amount of firearms that are sold and issued.
Cities should ban guns within its borders, unless used by police officers or those in necessary public service. And while this action would not entirely eliminate firearms within a city, it would decrease the likelihood of unexpected shootings, suicides, and gun-related accidents. On the other hand, firearms are often used for recreational activities such as hunting.
Yet in the end, the majority of the Talon is opposed to the prevalence of firearms within American culture.
Minneapolis must step up and take action by taking a path of activism to uplift and help those affected by the shooting. Food drives, open community spaces for grieving, cleanup, and other social services should be provided to help victims and survivors back on their feet.