Nation Mourns Texas Elementary School Shooting Victims: ‘Insane That We Just Keep Living Like This’
Citizens across the nation took to social media Tuesday to grieve the latest mass shooting, which left at least 18 students and three adults dead at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the AP reported. Public figures are using their platforms to once again sound the call for gun control in America and condemn anti-gun control politicians and lobbyists.
Only a week and a half has transpired since 10 people were murdered and three were injured by a white supremacist gunman in Buffalo, New York. The Texas tragedy marks the largest mass shooting at an elementary school after the Sandy Hook in 2012. The Newtown, Connecticut, shooting left 26 people dead, including 20 children.
President Biden addressed the nation on Tuesday evening from the White House. “Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God’s name is our backbone, the courage to do more and then stand up to the lobbies?” he said during his remarks. “It’s time to turn this pain into action, for every parent, for every citizen in this country. We have to make it clear to every elected official in this country that it’s time to act.”
President Biden addresses the nation on the horrific elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. https://t.co/hyscFyyNfz
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 25, 2022
“Enough is enough,” said Vice President Kamala Harris in a speech earlier in the afternoon. “Enough is enough! As a nation, we have to have the courage to take action and understand the nexus between what makes for reasonable and sensible public policy, to ensure something like this never happens again.”
Vice President Kamala Harris speaking on the mass shooting in Uvalde, TX: “Enough is enough. We have to have the courage as a nation to take action.” @nbcwashington @VP pic.twitter.com/zHhNURDr0y
— Aimee Cho (@AimeeCho4) May 24, 2022
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U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy issued an impassioned plea from the floor of the Senate, repeatedly stressing, “What are we doing? Why are we here?”
Please watch this speech by Sen. Chris Murphy and share it with everyone you know. pic.twitter.com/ZEMXRMuoQX
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) May 24, 2022
Murphy was joined by scores of politicians and other public figures decrying the tragedy as the result of Republican inaction.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, in his media conference with reporters in Dallas for the NBA’s West finals playoff series, did not take questions and instead lashed out in a heated speech.
“When are we going to do something?” an emotional Kerr yelled, before gritting his teeth and continuing. “I’m tired, I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I’m so tired of the excuses. I’m sorry. I’m tired of the moments of silences. Enough.”
Steve Kerr on today's tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas. pic.twitter.com/lsJ8RzPcmC
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 24, 2022
California Gov. Gavin Newsom took to Twitter to call for “nationwide, comprehensive, commonsense gun safety NOW.”
“Another shooting. And the GOP won’t do a damn thing about it,” he wrote. “Who the hell are we if we cannot keep our kids safe. This is preventable. Our inaction is a choice.”
14 children and a teacher dead.
Another shooting. And the GOP won’t do a damn thing about it.
Who the hell are we if we cannot keep our kids safe.
This is preventable. Our inaction is a choice.
We need nationwide, comprehensive, commonsense gun safety NOW.— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 24, 2022
“Just to be clear f–k you @tedcruz you f–ing baby killer,” wrote Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego.
Just to be clear fuck you @tedcruz you fucking baby killer.
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) May 24, 2022
CNN’s Ana Navarro-Càrdenas also directed her reaction toward the Texas senator. “If you are one of the spineless cowards held hostage by the gun-lobby and have been an obstacle to sensible gun reform, just shut the f–k up, right now,” she replied to the senator’s tweet about the shooting.
If you are one of the spineless cowards held hostage by the gun-lobby and have been an obstacle to sensible gun reform, just shut the fuck up, right now. https://t.co/ajudOLH7mu
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) May 24, 2022
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Former Texas congressman and current gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke gave his condolences to his home state, writing, “Our broken hearts are with Uvalde.”
Schools scared to death.
The truth is, one education under desks,
Stooped low from bullets;
That plunge when we ask
Where our children
Shall live
& how
& if— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) May 24, 2022
National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman reacted with a poem. “Schools scared to death. / The truth is, one education under desks, / Stooped low from bullets; / That plunge when we ask / Where our children / Shall live / & how / & if,” she posted on Twitter.
Schools scared to death.
The truth is, one education under desks,
Stooped low from bullets;
That plunge when we ask
Where our children
Shall live
& how
& if— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) May 24, 2022
Stacey Abrams, who is running for governor in Georgia, directed her remarks towards the families of Uvalde, writing that “we weep with you in your grief and ask for God’s solace for your unfathomable pain.”
The post continued, “May your angels be lifted up to spite the darkness that took them. And may the light of reason and compassion save the lives of others in their namesake. #Uvalde”
To the families of Uvalde, we weep with you in your grief and ask for God’s solace for your unfathomable pain. May your angels be lifted up to spite the darkness that took them. And may the light of reason and compassion save the lives of others in their namesake.
#Uvalde— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) May 24, 2022
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See more reactions below.
Anyone saying “now isn’t the time to talk about gun control” doesn’t care that kids got fucking murdered today.
— FINNEAS (@finneas) May 24, 2022
FUCKING ENOUGH!!!!
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) May 24, 2022
republicans will force you to have your kid but will do absolutely fucking nothing to keep them safe
— Dylan O'Brien (@dylanobrien) May 24, 2022
insane that we just keep living like this. really don't want to. tired of gun violence. https://t.co/8gRydJuNqu
— quinta brunson (@quintabrunson) May 24, 2022
It takes a monster to kill children. But to watch monsters kill children again and again and do nothing isn’t just insanity—it’s inhumanity.
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) May 24, 2022
GUN CONTROL NOW!
STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS!— Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 24, 2022
What do you say when 14 children and a teacher have been murdered at school? Language is inadequate to the task of explaining the callousness of a country that does absolutely nothing to address rampant gun violence. There is no culture of life here. It is a culture of control.
— roxane gay (@rgay) May 24, 2022
A reminder that in close to six months it will be the 10-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting and since that day Congress has not passed a single piece of gun control legislation.
— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) May 24, 2022
How many children must die before we enact a meaningful gun control law?!
— Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) May 24, 2022
I’m a gun owner. Do not tell me our Founders conceived of this carnage when they wrote the Constitution. Do not tell me they would have tolerated this madness. Do not tell me that teachers must be armed. And do not tell me your AR15 is worth more than another 14 children’s lives.
— Rep. Dean Phillips
(@RepDeanPhillips) May 24, 2022
The Republican Party has failed our children and our country by blocking common sense gun control measures. Blood on your hands!
— Amy Siskind
(@Amy_Siskind) May 24, 2022