After last week’s devastating shooting in Lewiston, Maine, my heart echoed with pain, recalling the haunting day of May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas.
Each incident, from Uvalde to Santa Fe, Parkland, and Columbine, pierces our souls with the same question: How did we let this cycle of violence persist?
The anguish deepens as we wonder how many more innocent lives must be lost before we say, “enough is enough”?
How many more families shattered?
How many more futures stolen?
As a nation, we find ourselves trapped in a heartbreaking reality, grappling with the consequences of our inability to protect our own.
So, I join the 18 families in Lewiston, Maine, and countless others, in their unimaginable grief. We never wanted to be a part of this tragic club, but here we stand.
The pain is overwhelming, and the questions persist: Why did this happen?
When will it end?
What will it take to stop this senseless violence?
We demand answers, not just for ourselves, but for every life lost and every dream extinguished.
Let us stand united, a force too powerful to ignore, reminding our leaders of the precious lives that were taken prematurely. Their legacy should not be one of sorrow but of a rallying cry for change.
Together, we can and must compel our country to make the necessary decisions to ensure that no more families suffer this devastating loss.
We are not alone in this fight, and together, we will demand the change we so desperately need.
Eloy Barrera, Uvalde, Texas
Send questions/comments to the editors.
