We cannot allow ourselves to become desensitized to mass shootings

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/17/navy-yard-shooting-america-desensitized

Version 0 of 1.

One of the strangest things about living in Washington DC yesterday was how normal the day felt to many of us not living or working near the Navy Yard. The metro service remained no more interrupted than we expect from the metro, restaurants still had a bustling Monday evening dinner service. And on a day when shootings began at 8:20am just two blocks away from the baseball stadium, the Washington Nationals waited until 3:27pm to announce on Twitter that their evening game would be postponed.

In light of today's tragedy, tonight's #Nats-#Braves game has been postponed. More details to follow at http://t.co/KuwgOfqtcm

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 16, 2013

<br />It begs the question, do we run the risk of becoming a nation that too readily accepts yet another mass shooting as just a part of life?

When 12 people were senselessly murdered at their workplace in the nation's capital, what did we do? Did we rally on Congress to demand more funding for mental health services and long-needed action on common sense gun control? Or did we check in on the folks we knew that worked near the Navy Yard, breathed a sigh of relief when we heard back, asked ourselves how many more times can this happen, and then went about our evening plans of dinner with friends or catching up on television shows? Are we already so desensitized to mass shootings in our country that our routines are no longer disrupted, or are we simply at a loss as a nation about what to do about it – unsure what we as individuals or as part of a community can do to change this dangerous pattern in America?

As I walked to the metro at Union Station – in view of the US capitol building – after work last night, I tried to think for a few minutes what it must feel like to be the wife/husband/mother/father/sibling/child of someone who left for what they thought was a normal workday this Monday, but weren't going to return from it. What is it like looking at your cell phone waiting for the call to hear their voice and that they're OK, and then slowly realizing the call is never coming? And I imagine those loved ones in Washington DC felt like parents in Connecticut did when they understood their child would not be walking out of the Newtown elementary school alive. And I imagine those loved ones in Connecticut felt like the friends and siblings in Aurora, Colorado after a gunman opened fire in a movie theatre.

It seems that the question we each need to ask ourselves is: which side am I on? Do we stand with victims' families and try to honor their loved ones by passing legislation in an effort to prevent future killings, as many Newtown families begged Congress to do? In fact, some rallied again today, holding signs such as "Congress: it's your turn".

Or we remain more concerned about having "my guns"? Do we stand up and demand that members of Congress quit caving to a special interest group that does not represent the majority of the American public? And if Congress does cave again, have the courage to hit the pavement and throw them out of office when their time comes?

Last month at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, we were reminded that change is hard, even in America, and is often won through struggle. As with many of the challenges of our past, it is up to the American public to demand change of their elected representatives and continue marching, making phone calls, writing letters, knocking doors and holding signs until that change has come.

Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.