Taking a Moment to Honor the Northern Illinois University Victims

I just wanted to personally take a moment to honor the Northern Illinois University victims, as well as send my thoughts and prayers to the entire Northern Illinois University community. The amount of violence in schools this past week has truly taken my breath away. It makes me sad to be living in a world where that is a solution to pain.

After last year’s tragedy at Virginia Tech, colleges everywhere have gotten better at creating response plans. I’d like to take a moment to advocate not just reactionary procedures, but on preventing these things from happening in the first place.

And that, my friends, falls on you and me. It is no one’s fault that someone gunned down five innocent students and wounded several others. It is, however, our fault collectively. Let this be a reminder to us all to reach out to our fellow humans. Look people in the eye. Smile. Defend. Listen. Connect.
We’re in this life together. Let’s love, not hate. Let’s help one another heal, so that no one’s solution to a problem is death.