Yet Another Day in America: Honoring Lives Lost, Confronting Gun Violence
On the eve of 9/11, another day in America was marked by gun violence. Students were in a school shooting in Colorado, a devastating reminder that our children cannot even enter their classrooms without the shadow of fear. Parents who expected to welcome their children home from school instead faced unbearable loss.
On the very same day, a political influencer was shot. Regardless of ideology, this too reflects how violence has permeated every corner of our public life. Gun violence does not discriminate; it strikes students, families, community members, and public figures alike.
Both events underscore a painful reality: gun violence is literally destroying our country. It robs us of children, devastates families, divides communities, and weakens the very fabric of our democracy.
The League of Women Voters of Arizona stands with all victims of violence. We recommit ourselves to the urgent work of addressing this epidemic through sensible reforms, community partnerships, and continued advocacy for a safer, more just America.
Today, as our nation reflects on September 11th and honors the thousands of lives lost to senseless violence in the attacks on the World Trade Center, we are reminded of how violence leaves scars that last for generations. Families, communities, and our nation still carry the weight of that tragedy.
We honor the lives lost, we mourn with the families and communities forever changed, and we refuse to accept this as the norm.