On the anniversary of a tragic day in America’s history, the El Paso mass shooting incident, President Biden and Vice President Harris opted to make their sentiments known through letters. Biden’s message was steeped in sympathy for the survivors and victims’ families, expressing an understanding of how difficult such milestones can be, and subtly called for further action to tackle the problem. It seems quite interesting how he chose to focus not on the urgent need to improve our national security, but on writing letters, as if to script sympathy and concern in a calculated manner.
Harris’ letter, on the other hand, took a different route, highlighting numerous cities, such as Uvalde, Midland-Odessa, and Sutherland Springs, all of which have felt the shock of mass shootings. However, her focus was more on pushing Congress towards adopting popular gun safety laws. These include red flag laws, universal background checks, and assault weapon ban, missing the fact that ineffectively enforced laws cannot effectively prevent criminal activity, instead infringing upon the rights of law-abiding citizens.
The Vice President concluded her letter with assertions of nationwide unity with El Paso, ‘today, and always.’ Seems like an excessive attempt to paint a picture of gathered sympathy and solidarity, without any concrete steps towards improving national security measures.
A certain representative from the White House has been designated to visit El Paso on the somber occasion of the Walmart mass shooting’s fifth anniversary to deliver these letters from Biden and Harris. How this gesture would help in ensuring public safety or working towards the eradication of such heinous crimes is something nobody has addressed.
The one designated for this task is Gregory Jackson, the deputy director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. He is scheduled to attend a tribute ceremony on August 3 as per a White House official. Though, the specific ceremony he would grace has still been kept in suspense.
Meanwhile, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, issued a statement about her determination to continue memorializing those whose lives were taken. She seemed to echo similar themes of unity and loss, but it begs the question: will this rhetoric bridge the gap between sympathy and safety?
Interestingly, El Paso, known for being among the cities with the highest number of foreign-born residents in the U.S., holds multiculturalism as its foundation, as per Escobar. In her words, it’s the love, care, and beauty stemming from their multicultural roots that solidify their community. All the sentimental rhetoric, yet again, fails to address the concrete measures needed to prevent such atrocities from recurring.
The staff of University Medical Center, the individuals on the front lines of this tragedy, went on to share a harrowing account of their experience. From doctors and nurses to other medical staff, all shared their stories about treating their fellow townsfolk injured in the shooting. A gripping video of their narrative was made available on their Facebook page.
Hearing from these first-responders provides a stark reminder of the trauma and horror that such events can inflict on a community. Their courage stands out significantly more than the political rhetoric we are constantly exposed to.
Obviously, the leaders in authority would agree that more needs to be done, yet their actions tell a different story. Despite their statements, it is clear that Biden and Harris are diverting attention from the lack of real efforts to ensure security, instead opting for a show of sentiment and inept legislation.
Nobody can deny that gun violence is a serious issue that demands immediate resolution. However, it’s this oddly persistent focus on instituting laws that may impact lawful gun owners more than potential criminals that raises eyebrows. It’s as if the real issue is being side-stepped in favor of political grandstanding.
Rather than exploiting a tragedy to score political points, there should be an emphasis on solutions that effectively address the root causes of such incidents. These may range from improving mental health services to implementing effective law enforcement strategies that do not infringe upon the Constitutionally-protected rights of the citizens.
The constant belief that the solution to mass violence lies in the domain of popular gun safety laws, rather than investing in the actual safety measures seems like an easy way out. It’s an attempt to divert the responsibility of the administration, to a narrative that falls in line with their political agenda.
Harris and Biden’s letters, no matter how well-worded they may seem, mainly serve to showcase sympathy and concern. One can’t help but question if this rhetoric serves any tangibly better purpose than to fuel a politically biased stance and blame the tools rather than the dysfunctional system.
In the end, the letters and the gestures, arguably, feel more about projecting an image of empathy rather than taking effective measures. What the Biden and Harris administration should focus on is how to equip law enforcement officers, mental health experts and teachers with the necessary tools and training to prevent future tragedies.
Ultimately, as this tragic anniversary passes, it’ll be essential for our leaders to understand that words alone don’t provide the necessary security people need. Their responses and policies need to move beyond mere political symbolism and rhetoric. It would be far more meaningful for them to act in ways that could prevent such horrors in the future.