No More School Shootings!

The speaker, Steve Williams, shares his thoughts on school shootings and violence in society. He emphasizes the importance of empathy and treating others as we would want to be treated. He mentions the recent shooting at Apalachee High School and calls for action to prevent future tragedies, such as implementing laws to keep firearms away from minors and providing mental health programs. He encourages service organizations to reach out to schools and offers solutions for at-risk youth. He urges the community to come together to find long-term solutions and create a safe learning environment for children. He concludes by urging kindness and remembering the victims of 9/11. This is a special commentary from Steve Williams, President and CEO of Subligna Valley Productions in Atlanta, Georgia. Greetings everyone. Before we go into our commentary today, let's take a moment to remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 due to the cowardly terrorist attacks that occurred in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. God rest their souls, and may we never, ever forget 9-11. Today's commentary does not imply endorsement for or against any political candidate or party. It is simply my thoughts. When J.D. Vance seemingly shrugged off school shootings as a fact of life, I knew that I had to say something. And here goes. What if you were a victim of child abuse, sexual assault, or any other violent or even a non-violent crime? What if you were the loved one of a murder victim? And what if, as a victim or the loved one of a victim, someone told you, well, it is what it is, or it's just a fact of life? The golden rule says, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When dealing with people who have been hurt in any fashion, think about how you would want to be dealt with if you were in their shoes. Do you want someone to be compassionate, sympathetic, and understanding? I know I do. The recent shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, not too far from where I live, brings home the point that we need to do something. While I keep the families and victims of this horrific event in my thoughts and prayers, I realize that mere thoughts and prayers are not enough. People of all political stripes, races, religions, etc. need to realize that we cannot stick our heads in the sand and write off any form of violence, especially school shootings, as a fact of life. We need to look at ways to prevent such future tragedies, including, but not limited to, laws that keep firearms of any kind out of the hands of minors without infringing on the rights of law-abiding firearm owners. Mental health programs that can identify potential school shooters and divert them into treatment. Now, with that said, I have no sympathy for those who actually carry out such cowardly acts. And finally, programs in our schools, whether it be inner city, suburban, or rural, that help at-risk youth become happy, productive, and respectful citizens. For example, service organizations such as Lions, Kiwanis, Optimists, and Rotary actually offer such programs. All you need to do is reach out to any of those service organizations and ask. And for those who are members of such service organizations, I implore you to reach out to the school systems in your community to see what your organization can do for them. For the sake of our children and the future of our world, we need to put aside partisan politics and come together to seek long-term solutions to minimize the risk of future acts of violence against our communities, especially within our schools. Today's youth are the future leaders of our communities, our state, our nation, and our world. We owe it to them to come together now in the spirit of compassion, cooperation, and mutual respect to build a world where no one, and I mean no one, should have to worry about their kids in any learning environment. Again, no forms of violence against our fellow human beings should ever be written off as a fact of life. As human beings, it behooves us to set aside our differences and seek solutions that benefit all of us, no matter who we are or where we live. Our goal should be nothing less than no more school shootings. Thank you for listening. And last but not least, please be kind to all you meet, and may God bless, keep, and protect you and yours. And again, please remember those who lost their lives on 9-11. Peace out, y'all.