NEW YORK, March 23 (Xinhua) -- There have been 79 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, averaging 1.6 a day and including seven shootings at K-12 schools that ended in injuries or death, said an opinion piece published by The Miscellany News on Wednesday, citing the Gun Violence Archive and Education Week.
"Colleges and universities aren't safe either," said the article. Michigan State University and the University of Virginia have both experienced gun violence and death during the 2022-23 school year, according to Best Colleges, bringing the all-time number of college shootings where three or more people have died to 12.
"We have to fight back against gun violence so that the next generation doesn't have to learn to survive when they should be learning to thrive," said the author Britt Andrade. "The first place to start is not with gun laws, but with unburdening the legal system."
"We also need better access to mental health resources and a deeper understanding of their benefits. Seeking mental health care still carries a stigma," which, "coupled with the American ideal of self-actualization, prevents people from seeking help," Andrade noted.
"Gun violence is a major issue in this country. It shouldn't be a political debate or an us vs. them conversation. It takes all of us to live in this world and all of us to change it," added the author. ■