We are all responsible, all of us Americans for the deaths of innocent children and their teachers in Uvalde, Texas, as we are also responsible for the deaths of children at Sandy Hook, Parkland, Columbine and countless other American schools. It is easy to understand how we have all come to be responsible for these deaths. We decided as a nation to put the profits of gun manufacturers and gun sellers above the lives of innocent children. This has resulted in the proliferation of guns everywhere in American society, which fall into the wrong hands. This question is not about second amendment constitutional rights, it is about priorities. American leaders in Washington, D.C., and in our state capitals decided for us to prioritize gun profits over the lives of our children.

I find most egregious the false narratives by conservative Republicans who claim they advocate for the protection of babies by outlawing abortion, outlawing school mask mandates, and outlawing teaching about American race relations in public schools, all the while American children are dying because there are far too many guns in our society, and they end up in the wrong hands.

Please do not think this only happens to others somewhere else. It can happen anywhere at anytime. Buying a gun for your home won’t stop it. Guns offer limited protection, even for those who are trained. They offer no real protection against ambush and increase the likelihood of accidents and suicides in the home.

We are all responsible for the shooting at Uvalde, and based on America’s inability and lack of will to stop these shootings, we will all be responsible for the next one, until that day we decide to stop it by putting our lives first and gun profits second.