Nonfiction

More Than a “Shame,” It’s a National Tragedy

November 6, 2026

In Florida¹, you do not need a permit to carry a concealed weapon. In Florida², you do not need a license to purchase a firearm. In Florida³, there were sixteen⁴ mass shootings in 2025.

One of these tragedies occurred on April 17, 2025, when a shooter opened fire at Florida State University, killing two and injuring five people. In response⁵, President Donald Trump called the shooting “a shame,” and FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X⁶, “Please keep the FSU community in your prayers.” Except it’s not prayers that this country needs. No child should be concerned for their safety at school. No older sister, including myself, should have to worry about whether their siblings will make it home at the end of the day.

In 2025 alone⁷, there were 488 mass shootings, meaning that 488 times last year, a single burst of violence has resulted in four or more people being wounded with gunshots. In 2023, nearly 47,000 people died in America⁸ from injuries inflicted by gunshot wounds, among the highest rates this country has ever seen. 719 of those people⁹ died as a result of mass shootings. According to the Pew Research Center¹⁰, 61% of Americans say that it is too easy to get a gun legally in this country. 58% of Americans say that stricter gun laws are needed. 54% of Americans say that the increase in guns is bad for society. 59% of American teachers are worried about a shooting happening at their school.

So what do the American people get? We are terrified of guns; and when our fears are spiked by a shooting, the only remark from the leader of our country is that it’s “a shame”? No. The American people have spoken, and it should be clear to any politician that in order to do the job they were sworn in to do, they have to meet the needs and expectations of those that they were elected to serve. And yet the man who holds the presidency has done more to weaken gun laws than he has done to strengthen them.

The value of human life¹¹ is not only a fundamental moral of life on a shared planet, but it is also an essential Jewish principle. The Torah preaches the unique beauty of each and every person, and the rampant gun violence across America is depriving the nation of that wonderful diversity. In order to uphold the Jewish values this community holds so dear, it is imperative to act against the cruel deprivation of life inspired by horrific incidents of gun violence.

In Trump’s first term¹², guns became the most prominent killer of children. Now, in his second term, Trump is prioritizing the advancement and protection of the Second Amendment, which gives the people the right to bear arms. His administration has reversed¹³ the ATF’s zero-tolerance policy, which took away the licenses of gun dealers if they broke the law. In addition to giving gun dealers more freedom, this move also profited the gun CEOs, who were making money off the transactions. Trump has cut funding¹⁴ and staff from the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services, both of which do work in preventing gun violence and suicides. Losing these programs means losing research, data, and knowledge, all of which helped to further our understanding of how to prevent gun violence going forward.

Trump’s Department of Justice¹⁵ has also restored the federal gun rights of select convicted felons. Although the administration has attempted to defend its actions through maintaining that the felons who have regained their gun rights were all convicted of non-violent crimes, NPR reports that there is very little information available about how individuals were selected to regain these rights. Based on the numbers of felons convicted of non-violent crimes, it seems oddly suspicious that the list put out by the DOJ contains only 22 people. If the Trump administration is selecting these individuals based on personal relationships or favors to the president, the new policy has opened a window into the deep corruption of gun policies within United States law.

But it’s not only what Trump has done, it’s what he hasn’t. Gun violence continues to plague America, and our leader is spending his time starting pointless and endless wars with foreign nations. In order to pull our country out of the devastating place we are now in, we need to enact strict federal gun laws and require full background checks for everyone wishing to obtain a gun across the entire nation. We need safety systems in schools that make it impossible for a shooter to enter undetected. We need a system that doesn’t try to court the CEOs of gun businesses but one that emphasizes the safety and wellbeing of the American people.

The issue is especially poignant when considered from a feminist perspective¹⁶. Women who remain in abusive relationships with a romantic partner are five times more likely to be murdered by a partner who can access a gun. This issue disproportionately affects Black women who face gun violence at a far higher rate than their white counterparts.

However, it is unlikely that the President will ever feel the need to restrict the dangerous flow of guns into the hands of the American people. Ensuring a safe future for ourselves and our loved ones is largely up to us. So, if you feel a shred of responsibility to make your nation a safer and more peaceful environment for all those around you, show up to make your community a better place. Whether your activism takes the form of writing to representatives, marching for gun reform, or something completely different, it is important to always remember that you have the ability to change the world for the better.