Editorial: Tragedy at MSU outrages us

From The Lookout Staff

A Michigan State University class met for its Monday evening class on Feb. 13 in Berkey Hall, only to be interrupted by gunshots. Two students in the class were shot to death and multiple others were injured as they ran away from the murderer.

Another student was murdered later that evening in the nearby Union Building, with many other students injured and/or terrified for their lives as they hunkered down in the dorms. For some students, this would be the second mass shooting they lived through, after the Oxford High School shooting only 14 months prior. THEIR SECOND!

Somehow, we have let it become commonplace in America for our students – our children – to experience something as horrific as mass murder. It is only the beginning of 2023, only the second month of the New Year, and yet across America there have already been multiple mass shootings.

An on-campus rock monument at MSU is painted black with a haunting message written in red: : How many more?

How many more schools will be hunted by mass murderers? How many more students will have to survive through these traumatic experiences and suffer from post trauma? How many more students will come face to face with a gun because our country refuses to protect them? How many more?

The Lookout staff is tired of sounding like a broken record. In the last five years, The Lookout has written multiple editorials on mass shootings across America and on the importance of gun safety. How many more?

It is time for a change. Following the events at MSU, there are multiple protests being organized to hopefully bring change for the betterment of everyone’s lives. Getting involved is an important step to bringing about change in your community. The Lookout staff highly recommends our readers to look into protests in which to participate in or around your community.

More than likely, every student at LCC has some sort of connection to MSU. The Lookout staff wants to offer our condolences to those who know someone who was affected, or who were affected themselves by this tragedy.

For those needing someone to talk to, LCC offers free counseling services. Students can also call 988 for crisis support 24 hours a day or visit the website here.