Just as we learned that the Princeton Review has put Sacred Heart #10 in its list of “happiest students,” we were also hearing about the horrific tragedies in El Paso and Dayton. As the week has progressed, I have found my thoughts turning back to those two events and how they might be related—or not.
I think one reason our students are happy is because of our culture of inclusiveness, tolerance and respect. There is no room for hate, violence or bullying here. Instead we welcome people of all cultures and embrace the opportunity to learn more about their customs. We listen to all points of view, and when we disagree, we do so respectfully. Sadly, the same does not seem to be happening in some parts of this country. We are seeing more examples of hatred, intolerance and bullying than we have in a long time. In fact, as of August 5, there were 255 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, according to data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which tracks every mass shooting in the country. The organization defines a mass shooting as any incident in which at least four people were shot, excluding the shooter.
That toll includes five high-profile massacres in the past two weeks, in which more than 100 people have been shot. In addition to El Paso, where 22 were killed and 24 wounded, and Dayton, where nine were killed and 27 injured, there was:
- A shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in the San Francisco Bay Area, with three people killed and 15 injured.
- A shooting at a Brooklyn block party, with one person killed and 11 injured.
- A shooting at a Walmart in Southaven, MS, with two people killed and two injured.
Before the El Paso attack, the deadliest mass shooting of 2019 happened in a municipal building in Virginia Beach, where a former city employee killed 12 people and injured four.
Last semester we responded to these shootings with our Heart Challenges Hate colloquia series. Students, faculty and staff gathered for talks on the psychology and rhetoric of hate and hate in the context of the First Amendment and religion. We will continue that series with three more sessions this fall:
- WHY WE HATE THE OTHER: Fears and Forces on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.
- What’s the Matter with “All Lives Matter?” on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m.
- Hating Women: It’s Been Around a Long Time! on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.
I look forward to continuing the discussion with all of you, although I wish we didn’t have to. In the meantime, our hearts go out to the victims of El Paso and Dayton and the other recent attacks and to their families and friends.