"A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.

James Allen

All conflict, regardless of the size had to start or erupt somewhere and has a history that continued escalating that resulted in bodily harm. Our focus must be to not only seek out the root causes, we need to try to understand why the cycle continues and find a way to give our youth a voice. While we may not understand, violence is happening each day all over the world. The moment conflict or gun violence erupts, and someone is injured or killed, our first thought is "Why did the person pull the trigger?"

Sometimes, you can be in the right place but at the wrong time. Today, in a single fit of rage, confusion, and hatred, one person with automatic weapons can kill dozens of innocent people. Handguns, rifles, and automatic weapons are all easily purchased—legally and illegally. Children and youth can easily get guns. When someone is upset and angry, drunk, hateful, or violent, the gun allows him or her to act in lethal ways. What may have been a misunderstanding, or argument, becomes a physical altercation and escalates and becomes a murder. With the continuous availability of guns increases the probability of more lethal violence, homicide, and suicide.

If we continue the path to allow anger and hatred to fester inside our minds, souls, and hearts, without addressing the emotional issues at hand, the abuse, racism, violence, suffering, and homicides will never ever cease. While there is no magic-wand solution to violence and gun violence, it all starts with making a personal commitment to be the change that we desire to see in the world. Please put the guns down.

CEO/Founder Angela M. Thomas