Opinion: I’m tired: When will all the mass shootings stop?

I’m tired.

I’m tired of our non-existent gun control laws.

I’m tired of mass shootings, each time being worse than the last.

I’m tired of mourning innocent victims who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I’m tired of (“whatever city that has just experienced a mass shooting”) strong.

I’m tired of the headlines.

I was in the midst of finishing an assignment for class when I heard the news about the Las Vegas shooting. I was scrolling down Twitter when I saw a flurry of breaking news articles. I was intrigued to find out what had happened. First, I watched a two-minute video uploaded by Twitter user who was recording the concert a the music for around 20 seconds. The crowd was confused and didn’t know what the sounds were until another flurry of popping sounds filled the venue for another 20 seconds. Gun shots. A woman could be heard yelling “get down!” to those around her. There was a pause in between, then another flurry of gunshots, then another, and then another. I couldn’t believe that in those moments, lives were ruthlessly being taken away. And for what reason? Concerts are supposed to be a magical escape from reality, where friends and kind strangers unite to listen to their favorite music together.

Mass shootings have become so common in our country and no one seems to be doing anything about it. 

Why? It’s great that the Las Vegas mayor and senators are doing their best to regulate their own gun control laws by banning the possession of bump stocks (which was the device Stephen Paddock used during the shooting), but it’s sad to say, I highly doubt anything substantial will be done.

Young, innocent children were murdered at Sandy Hook elementary and nothing was done. What will be enough? I’m 23 years old and have seen the headline: “The Deadliest Mass Shooting in U.S. History”, three times in my short lifetime.

In 2017 alone, there have been over 11,600 deaths related to gun violence which is almost equivalent to four 9/11 attacks. As much as I hope that this will be a wake-up call to Congress, our leaders, and the rest of our country, I doubt that it will be. It’s been a week and I have seen nothing in the news about creating stricter gun laws.

A press conference was held on Oct. 2, hours after the shooting, White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ response to reporters’ questions about gun control: “there will certainly be a time for that policy discussion to take place, but that’s not the place that we’re in at this moment.”

How is this not the time to talk about gun control? Other than saying we are “Vegas strong” why isn’t anything being done to prevent these mass shootings?

What city will we be praying for next? Which victims will we have to mourn next? When will it be enough?

I’m tired. I’m truly tired.