When I was 15 years old and in the 10th grade, just
a few months shy of turning 16, I remember an incident where a loaded gun went
off inside of a vehicle that was sitting just out front of my home. I was in
the vehicle, along with two male friends at the time. I never knew whose gun it
was, nor why it was loaded and in the vehicle. These fellas were 17 and 18 at
the time. I recall the music blasting so loud that we barely heard the thing go
off and it went off just beside my legs.
I could have been shot. I will never forget that moment, or the many
others I saw as a child growing up in an inner city. Seems like gun violence
was a part of the territory, a norm, heck, this is why when I attended high
school, 1991-1995, metal detectors were a must. I didn’t realize there was something
seriously wrong with that picture.
My father owned a gun while I was coming up, two actually, a
revolver and a 22 and he still has the 22. My father would often bring the gun
out and shoot it from the porch on New Year’s Eve, as my mother and siblings
watched, this was a tradition. Running from parties, athletic events, corner
stores and more was a way of life for most of us, a norm that was far beyond
normal. Our society has been plagued by gun violence since the 1980s, and it’s
not getting any better. Our constitution states that we have a right to bear
arms, responsibly, but how many folks do you know who actually use their weapon
responsibly? From the toddler that finds his father’s gun and accidentally kills
his neighbor, the youth running the streets that brandishes and uses their
weapons, illegal guns, with no regard, the accident murderers as Nas so poignantly stated
in his most recent record titled such, and let us not forget the tragedy’s that
involve those similar to the George
Zimmerman’s of the world, The incidents like Columbine,
I could go on.
I’ve handled and shot many weapons over the years, I know
many individuals who own guns, legally and illegally, but are they really for
the benefit of protecting ourselves? Currently,
I don’t own a gun, and I probably never will, for reasons I will not disclose
here.
As written by Jason
Whitlock, “How many young people have to die senselessly? How many lives
have to be ruined before we realize the right to bear arms doesn’t protect us
from a government equipped with stealth bombers, predator drones, tanks and
nuclear weapons?
Our current gun culture simply ensures that more and more
domestic disputes will end in the ultimate tragedy, and that more
convenience-store confrontations over loud music coming from a car will leave
more teenage boys bloodied and dead.”
I am so tired of hearing about gun violence, so tired of
losing loved ones to gun violence, or almost losing them. Our country needs to
take a long hard look at this issue, it’s long overdue.
Peace and blessings good people,
Shamina
Peace and blessings good people,
Shamina
Bang! (Poem about gun violence)
Created by Artluva
This is about a child who died due to gun violence.
Created by Artluva
This is about a child who died due to gun violence.
Bang!
I heard the shot ring
That sound changed my life
It changed everything
I heard the sound of a gun being
fired
Today, about an hour ago
It wasn't my fault
Johnny brought a gun to school, I
got hit, now I must go
God told me to say my goodbies
and then leave
So here I am, and this is my last
goodbye
Please, even though I won't be
here anymore
Try not to miss me too much, try
not to cry
Tell Daddy
I'm sorry I wasn't always the
best
Tell him I love him
And in my eyes, he was better
than all the rest
Tell my sister
We fought often but believe it or
not, I loved her too
Tell her to live her life
And to follow her dreams and do
whatever she wants to do
Don't worry about me, I'm not
alone
Grandma is waiting for me
And I'll always watch over you
Even if you can't see
My last request
My dying wish
Is to warn others of weapons
And it's risk
Never bring weapons
Even if you'll never use them,
ever
They are still horrible
