By Evelyn Uddin-khan

Children in American classrooms are dying for no reason. They are not dying from childhood diseases. They usually are vaccinated for chickenpox and measles by school age.

Our children are leaving this world because some trigger happy “person” is bored with life and needs some excitement. So, these children’s defenseless bodies have become target practice for people with many guns and many grudges against their society.

Students, pre-K to 12th grade and beyond have become sitting ducks for assassins who enter their classrooms and end their young lives.

We — parents, grandparents, neighbors, politicians, the NRA, the public — mourn them for a day and move on. We have business to attend to. In this last school shooting in Nashville, three innocent children were sacrificed in their classroom, along with three school personnel.

When the news of the Nashville shooting hit the wires, I moaned, “not again.” A few days later, on the beach of South Carolina, again students were attacked. This time by other students with guns. Is this how young people are going to solve their differences today? With guns? Where did those kids get those guns?

The same people who believe in pro-life, also believe in pro-gun. So, some of us believe life begins in the womb (pro-life), and life ends outside the womb with a bullet (pro-gun).

Gun lovers can love their guns. But must they use them to take innocent lives? Do they hate life?

There was a time when assault weapons were used to fight wars. That is no longer the case. Assault weapons is now big money. So big money is putting assault weapons into the hand of anyone who wants them. The information is quite clear on the internet. Also, on the internet, people can buy gun parts and make guns at home. The school shooter in Nashville did that.

So, where do we go from here?

In the United States, we have two sides. On one side we have the president, Congress, the Supreme Court, 50 governors, and dozens of mayors.

On the other side, we have the NRA.

What is wrong with this picture? The most powerful government in the world is held hostage by guns. This powerful government is afraid to take on the gun lobby!

How many politicians in Congress are on the NRA payroll? Is the Supreme Court supposed to protect the lives of our citizens, or the free sale of guns? And our governors? Don’t they care that kids in our schools and our tax payers are dropping like flies by bullets?

As for those gun salesmen in Congress (our honorable gentlemen — senators and congressmen — from North Carolina), power and greed are your sins, but not your fault. Voters knew your positions and put you there. We the people who voted for you are the biggest losers. We lose our kids and loved ones to the guns that maintain your power and wealth in Congress.

When some citizens of a nation, and our protectors in Congress, value gun more than human life, then that nation is heading for the wrong place.

Ask yourselves people: Where are we safe? Not in schools. Not in markets. Not in theaters. Not in restaurants. Not on the beach.

So, where do we go from here?

Stay locked up in our nice, comfortable houses and order in food, have groceries delivered, watch television 24/7, contact the outside world via internet, text, cell phones etc. People are already working from home. So, they are prepared.

Welcome to the future! Welcome to “Safe Days!”

Questions for the NRA and their stooges —  I mean the NRA politicians: Do you have children? Do they go to school? Do you worry about them? Do they carry books in their back packs, or guns?

Evelyn Uddin-khan moved to Salisbury in 2018 after living in the New York City area for most of her life. She taught in public schools and for a community college in the New York City area.