Lives, Guns & Solutions

Stop the violence, increase the peace…has the violence finally reached home for some or has it become a reality for others? On Sunday, April 10th there were two lives lost to gun violence. Southern University students, Lashuntae Benton and Annette January, left the world too soon. Benton and January were killed by gun shots intended for someone else. The two were young and had full lives ahead of them; leaving empty spaces in the hearts of their family and friends that will never be filled.
Our fellow Jaguars Benton and January lost their lives just doing what college students do, hanging out with friends. They were both attending a birthday party when shots were fired. Although the details of the incident are unclear, the fact remains that the decisions of a few impacted the lives of many forever. Frivolous arguments shouldn’t end in bloodshed. We all should have the opportunity to go out for a little fun and make it home safely. I remember my early years of college and how exciting they were. Sure I saw fights but there was never an incident involving guns, resulting in innocent lives lost. I did not know these young ladies personally but my heart goes out to their family. It is not fair that someone could not control their emotions. It is not fair that Benton and January didn’t make it back home. When parents send their children off to college, they expect them to return home with degrees in hand, not return in body bags. This has to be the worst news a parent can ever hear about their child, and IT IS NOT FAIR.
I’ll also take issue with our local media. Was it important to name the alleged shooter as a former Southern University football player? Does attaching him to our football team help us get justice? No, it was irrelevant for the public to know. The university lost two students, but the media was yet again trying to tarnish the name of our beloved university.
Gun violence is plaguing our streets and it needs to stop. Guns do not kill people; people who pull the trigger do. We have those who want to make stronger gun laws and others who want to keep it the same. How do we keep guns out of the wrong hands? What happened to the days of using your fists rather than guns? Moreover, what happened to just talking things out.