During his 2023 State of the Union Address, President Joe Biden mentioned “The Talk.” Most white parents never see the need to have “The Talk” with their children. As president Biden stated, “I’ve never had to have the talk with my children – Beau, Hunter, and Ashley – that so many Black and Brown families have had with their children.”
Moreover, President Biden also said, “imagine what it’s like to lose a child at the hands of the law. “Imagine having to worry whether your son or daughter will come home from walking down the street or playing in the park or just driving their car.”
Unfortunately, police officers frequently perceive Black boys and girls as older, scarier, and more prone to criminality than people of other races. Consequently, a typical police stop, far too often, turns into a violent, terrifying, and traumatizing encounter. The police encounter usually ends with a Black parent’s son or daughter’s death.
There is a different kind of “The Talk” required by all parents of all races and ethnicities in today’s world of mass shootings/mass murder of America’s men, women, and children. The Gun Violence Archive documented as many as 80 mass shootings in the United States since January 1, 2023. Seven of the 80 mass shootings involved four or more fatalities.
Mass shootings are public incidents with four or more deaths where victims are chosen indiscriminately by the shooter. Mass shootings are a uniquely American problem, particularly related to other developed countries; however, it doesn’t have to be! In America, many people love their guns more than they love their children. We could do better, and we can be better than this. Through the enactment of reasonable Gun Laws, ending mass killings is a genuine possibility. Join the fight, and let’s get this Gun control issue right. The Talk