Recently, while I was at the gym taking a breather between sets of an exhausting leg workout—let’s face it, any workout that requires effort can be intense—I found my mind wandering. As I took a sip from my water bottle, a chilling thought crossed my mind.
“If a shooter were to burst in right now, where would I hide? Is there an emergency exit nearby? Do I know how to pretend to be dead?”
It’s a grim thought, but it’s one that I’ve found myself pondering all too frequently these days. I wouldn’t say I’m paranoid; after all, I’m the type who would hop on a transatlantic flight, brave the wildest roller coasters, or indulge in a carbohydrate binge that would have me exiled from South Beach indefinitely.
Back in elementary school, we practiced fire drills regularly, with firefighters teaching us the essential mantra: “Stop! Drop! And ROLL!” We had to demonstrate our ability to roll away from the smoke, crawling on the floor with our arms tucked in. Now, I can’t help but think that maybe it’s time to prepare my kids for a different kind of drill—one that involves “Stop. Drop. And play dead.”
A Dose of Reality
I vividly remember the day of the Newtown shooting while I was at work. Initially, reports indicated a couple of fatalities, but as I walked by the TV during lunch, my heart sank as the numbers climbed. A colleague remarked, “Just wait for the gun control advocates to pounce on this one.”
My idea of a “field day” is vastly different from the horror we witnessed that day. A field day should involve fun activities like races and games, not the tragic loss of innocent lives.
“It’s not guns that kill people,” my colleague insisted. “People kill people.” Sure, that’s true. But let’s face it—people often use guns to do so. While there are various means to inflict harm, the power of an assault weapon, like the one used in Newtown, is hard to ignore.
So, label me a freak if you must. Just remember to first call me an American. I take pride in my country, born and raised on this land. Like many things I cherish—my husband, my kids, my family, and friends—my love for this country is not blind. I know it has imperfections.
Being a true patriot goes beyond honoring those who serve to protect us or reciting the pledge of allegiance. It also means recognizing the injustices of our past, like the treatment of Native Americans, the Japanese internment camps, and the existence of slavery while our Founding Fathers drafted the very documents we hold dear.
Those who shaped our nation were fallible humans, not divine beings. They had no foresight of the future. They couldn’t have envisioned the rise of technology or the havoc it could wreak. They were equipped with muskets, not the rapid-fire weapons that haunt our reality today.
I can guarantee they never imagined tragedies like Columbine or Newtown.
“Don’t take away my Second Amendment rights!”
Let’s take a breath. First, let’s not treat the Second Amendment like it’s sacred scripture. Questioning whether we could better regulate firearms doesn’t mean erasing rights. If our existing laws aren’t enforced, we don’t need more legislation; we need sensible enforcement.
We stand at a crossroads as a nation. There will be another shooting; it’s just a matter of when and where. Why does questioning gun regulation feel like an attack on personal liberties? Nobody is advocating against hunting or self-defense.
We have an epidemic on our hands. Why is it controversial to require proper licensing for gun ownership? Just as we need a license to drive, we should ensure gun owners have adequate training and documentation. The DMV process is tedious, but we do it because we understand the risks involved.
So, why do we allow untrained individuals to wield firearms? The very people clamoring for militia rights are often those who frighten me the most.
If I’m at the gym and a gunman enters, I haven’t figured out my response yet, but I think of my children, my friends’ kids, and my neighbors’ little ones.
I’m not ready to teach them to stop, drop, and play dead.
We need change.
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Summary: In a reflective piece, the author connects personal experiences with the alarming reality of gun violence in America, questioning the need for better gun regulation while expressing concern for the safety of future generations. The narrative shifts from childhood safety drills to a more pressing need for societal change, emphasizing that love for one’s country comes with the responsibility to acknowledge and address its flaws.