THE NASHVILLE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

[Babs onabanjo]

Press Statement:        

WHY LORD, WHY?  A SAD COMMEMORATION AS WE MOURN

THE NASHVILLE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

 

For Immediate Release:                                     For more info:

April 3, 2023                                                                            Dr.  Babs Onabanjo, Founder & President, A. D. King Foundation Inc.

                                                                                                                        [phone]

This week marks the 55^th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was gunned down at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968.   In her reflections on the death of her brother-in-law, Mrs. Naomi Ruth B. King shared her deep sadness and heartbreak over the most recent violent school shootings in Nashville, where three children and three adults were murdered by a lone gunman.  Why Lord why?  The question uppermost in our minds is Why?  Each time another horrific incidence of senseless violence takes innocent lives, we are forced to remember the fact that guns are far too prevalent in today’s society.  It is now known that the shooter had no apparent reason for gunning down her six victims.  Sadness, anger and outrage across the country is the general consensus, but there is no consensus on what must be done to end the frequency of gun violence, even at schools where our precious young children are sent daily with the assumption that they are entering a safe environment.  Why are there so many deadly weapons in the hands of everyday Americans?  Why does anyone choose to shoot up public places full of strangers, like the grocery store, dance hall, or public schools?  Why is it so difficult for Congress to take action to ban assault weapons and enforce more stringent screening rules for persons purchasing guns?  Why Lord why and what do we do about it?

The principals of the A. D. King Foundation believe the answer lies in promoting non-violent social change strategies as a way of life worldwide.  These strategies would include a more holistic approach to treating those struggling with mental health issues, fair and equitable conflict resolution; stronger legislation to curtail the access to and use of assault-style weapons by the public.    Some states have enacted “Extreme Risk Laws” or “Red Flag Laws” which address potential shooters prior to their legally obtaining a gun.  However, in the instance of the Nashville shooter, she purchased several guns legally prior to the shooting at the school.  These types of laws can be effective if a known or suspected shooter is identified prior to committing a violent act, but it is a start to prevent such tragedies.

 [The A. D. King Foundation, Inc. is a nonviolent conflict resolution entity formed to revolutionize the mindset, attitude, and behavior that promotes violence and war with nonviolent principles, methods, and direct actions.]

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