This edition of the Download is dedicated to the Michigan State University (MSU) community and the many Spartans that have touched our lives. MSU, a member of AEPC since 1997, became the latest casualty of senseless gun violence on Monday. We send our condolences to the families and friends of the victims, the hospitalized students, and the MSU community. Our hearts are with you always; today as you grieve and tomorrow as you grapple with a life that is forever changed.
It is difficult to find words to express the range of emotions felt after this tragedy. How does one express grief, anger and yet hope for the future? Days after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting five years ago, Andrea Peña and Sawyer Garrity, both students at the school, wrote the song, Shine, to cope with their grief – a song that will always stay with me. As I reflect on the MSU tragedy, some of my favorite lyrics from Shine come to mind:
You, you threw my city away
You tore down the walls and opened up all the gates
You, you ruined this town
You burned all of the bridges, and you slowly let us drown
But you’re not gonna knock us down
We’ll get back up again
You may have hurt us
But I promise we’ll be stronger and
We’re not gonna let you win
We’re putting up a fight
You may have brought the dark
But together we will shine the light
And whoah, we will be something special
Whoah, we’re gonna shine
We’re, we’re gonna stand tall
Gonna raise up our voices so we never, ever fall
We’re done with all your little games
We’re tired of hearing that we’re too young to ever make a change
We can hug a little tighter
We can love a little more
Laugh a little harder
We can stand up and roar
If we all come together, it will be all right
Stand up for one another, and we’ll never give up the fight
The MSU Spartans are enveloped in the darkness of Monday’s tragedy. But they will get back up and the bright light of the MSU community will once again shine.
This Weekend Reading series begins with Everybody’s Not All Right with articles on the effects of mass shootings on children, adults, and communities. Next explore Made In America with articles on guns ownership and its culture in America. In Searching for Safety explore a number of interesting perspectives on how to address the epidemic of gun violence. Finally, do not miss Shine Bright, and my personal favorites- the Shine Music Video and Parkland: The movements for change that came out of tragedy!
I hope you enjoy the following:
Everybody’s Not All Right
The Washington Post
After Parkland: What we’ve learned tracking school shootings for 5 years
Psychology Today
The Kids Are Not Alright
Pew Stateline
Health Harms of Mass Shootings Ripple Across Communities
Made in America
BBC
Gun violence in US and what the statistics tell us
Vox
America’s unique, enduring gun problem, explained
The Michigan Daily
Even in the age of mass media, we can’t get the message straight on gun violence
Searching for Safety
The New York Times
In the Wake of Tragedy, Balancing Freedom, and Safety at Michigan State
The New York Times
In a Violent America Safety Becomes a Sales Pitch
The Atlantic
Michigan State Deserves More Than Thoughts and Prayers
Shine Bright
The New York Times
Elementary School.High School.Now College. Michigan State Students Are No Strangers to Mass Shootings.
USA Today
‘It’s always on my mind’: Five years since the Parkland massacre, survivors’ pain is fresh
WFSU Public Media
Parkland: The movements for change that came out of tragedy
Enjoy the weekend!
Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]
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