May 24th 2022: An open letter to Texas Legislators
by Willow Bullington
I am not going to sit here and tell you how many school shootings have happened this year. You have heard it before and done nothing. how many children go to school paralyzed with anxiety that it could be their last, because you have heard it before and done nothing. how many children sit in classes distracted by the thought of an intruded coming to claim their life, because you have heard it before and done nothing. I am not going to waste my breath telling you that twenty-one innocent lives were claimed in a school because you have heard it and done nothing, you have heard a generation beg you to keep us safe and all you have done is made guns more acesable.
Seeing tweets offering prayers and condolences makes my blood boil, it enlicitcts so my rage that I want to cry because Texas representatives you have failed us.I remember coming home from gymnastic practice seeing my mom crying on the couch as she explained to me what happened, since then I have not gone into a public space and not thought about my escape plan, where the door is, and what would happen if a shooter came in. I went through middle school, high school and now college trying to actively fight the thought that a gunman could enter at anytime and claim my life and the lives of those around me. I become so suffoctated by anxiety that I would convince myself that a door shutting was a bullet, that a water bottle moving was the casing, and the turning of a doorknob was the sound of a trigger being pulled. Still I am afraid of movie theaters and often avoid them because I often cannot pay attention because I am staring at the entrance waiting for the inevitable. The inevitable, because to me to our generation it can feel like it is only a matter of time. Because when we were in elementary school we watched kids like us lose their lives, kids who would never go to middle school, then we made it to high school and within that one year we heard testimonies from survivors of the parkland and Santa Fe shooting.
Is that not enough, did you see the 14 and 15 year olds cry, sob in front of a crowd as they had to come to terms with what they just endured? President Biden addressed the nation and asked “Why do we keep letting this happen?”. And this made me furious.When see representatives of my state, of texas offer their prayers and condolences to the families of the victims, because a few weeks ago they proudly voted against gun reform. Seeing Greg Abbott’s tweets detailing him and his wife praying for the families as if he has not spent years vocalizing his insistence on loosening gun laws in texas. It makes my blood boil with anger to see this hypocrisy this level of manipulation from the people who are to be our voice, our representation. Let me make it clear, no longer will we allow our voices to be misunderstood, Gen Z , Our Era is demanding policy change your condolences mean nothing to us.
Governor Greg Abbott on October 28th 2015, you tweeted you were “'EMBARRASSED: Texas #2 in nation for new gun purchases, behind CALIFORNIA. Let's pick up the pace Texans” Are you proud now? Because as of right now May 25 t 9:28 pm 21 families are having to plan funerals for their children? Are you still embarrassed that we are number two? You have no right to offer condolences, you should be embarrassed that your vote has not been used to protect the children of texas, that time and time again texas experiences this loss, we mourn, we lower our flags and wipe our tears, and you have the audacity to tweet things like you did on October 28th 2015. Again on April 8th 2021, you politicized gun control stating that
“ Biden is threatening our 2nd Amendment rights, He just announced a new liberal power grab to take away our guns. We will NOT allow this in TX. It's time to get legislation making TX a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary State passed and to my desk for signing”
I ask you think Texas state representative do you thin about Aaron Kyle McLeod, Angelique Ramirez, Kimberly Vaughan, Cynthia Tisdale, Sabika Sheikh, Chris StoneJared Black, Shana Fisher, Glenda Ann Perkins, Christian Riley Garcia, when you vote for gun control. You most likely do not remember those names, those are the names of the high schoolers who lost their lives in The Santa Fe Shooting in 2018, do you see their faces and think about their families?
I am sick of hearing you offer condolences and prayers for those lost, as our representatives you have a repsonsiblty to be catalyst for change, we expected you tp keep us safe and you have failed. Time and time again. We will not let you get by with Below I have linked a prompted message you can forward to your state senator demanding gun control reform, fill it out, Repost this send this link to everyone you know, tell them to fill it out, this may seem small but this is the start this is where we will start change. Our voice will be heard, when our generation is parents I will not worry about my child dying in a classroom, I will no longer listen to your empty promises be broadcasted, because time and time again you literally have put a bandaid on a bullet hole.
These children are sisters, brothers, they will never be mothers, they will never graduate high school, they will never toss their cap in the air, their parents will mourn them as they watch other children grow up. I refuse to accept this reality, we will make change for the lives lost at the hands of gun violence.A post on instagram is not enough, spend 30 second filling out a form to send to your senator, it is arguably the easiest thing ever. Fill out the link be apart of change, make your voice heard.
Do it for:
Jaliah Nicole Silguero, 10
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10
Irma Garcia, fourth-grade teacher
Jackie Cazares, 10-year-old student
Uziyah Garcia, 8-year-old student
Amerie Jo Garza, 10-year-old 4th grade student
Xavier Lopez, 10-year-old 4th-grade student
Eva Mireles, 4th-grade teacher
Alithia Ramirez, 10-year-old student
Annabell Rodriguez, 10-year-old student
Eliahana Cruz Torres
Rojelio Torres, 10-years-old
And those who have not yet been named, those who are still being identified.
with all my love and more,
Willow
