Earlier this week, yet another shooting took place in Minnesota. More children died. As always, the responses online felt like two polar opposites. On one side, there was sadness, grief, and empathy—messages of thoughts and prayers. On the other, I saw posts on X (formerly Twitter) declaring it was all about the Second Amendment or even claiming it was some kind of military initiative, as if 9/11 and other shootings were part of the same conspiracy.
After losing our daughter, Alaina, in the Borderline shooting in November 2018, my family received an outpouring of kindness and empathy. Our community embraced us, lifted us, and carried us through. But not all messages were compassionate. I’ll never forget one handwritten letter insisting the shooting was a hoax and never happened. To think someone took the time to write such cruelty—it was crushing, even if it came from some conspiracy theorist living in a basement.
And now, to see people using social media to say, “This is another trans shooting, which is exactly why we need the Second Amendment.”—WTF. Let’s be clear: the majority of mass shooters are not trans or LGBTQ+. The truth is, most are young white males, many of whom carry messages of hate and often see their actions as a suicide mission.
Instead of our leaders stepping forward—together—to address these tragedies, they keep pointing fingers. The reality? A majority of Americans actually support common-sense gun legislation.
Some blame social media and violent video games. Yet in other countries, where people have the same access to those platforms and games, they don’t see 8- and 10-year-olds being shot in their schools. The difference isn’t in the games. It’s in us—our laws, our leadership, our willingness (or unwillingness) to act.
Change will only come when we, as a nation, stand up and vote—not along party lines, but for leaders who choose people over politics. Leaders with courage to act, even when it’s unpopular. Leaders who will prioritize the safety of our children over their own re-election campaigns.
Principal DeBoer of Annunciation School recently shared an African proverb: “Pray with your feet.” In other words, don’t just pray—get up and move. Take action. That’s wisdom we desperately need to embrace.
I pray no one else has to endure the heartbreak my family has lived through. Yet this week, two more families in Minnesota joined this painful community of loss. And they join so many others—Sandy Hook, Parkland, Route 91, Borderline, and countless more. One of Alaina’s friends who was killed at Borderline had already survived Route 91, only to die in another mass shooting. Think about that. Two country-music venues. Two shooters. Neither trans, neither LGBTQ. None of that mattered—because innocent lives were lost.
Lately, I’ve seriously considered closing some of my social media accounts. Too often, they serve as platforms for conspiracy theories and hate rather than compassion and truth.
I’m sharing this not because I have all the answers, but because I believe in the power of voices coming together. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please share in the comments below or message me directly at arik@arikhousley.com.
