John R. Fischer

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

Those words of ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu are the ones that came to mind when I heard Trump discuss the recent shooting in Perry, Iowa on Friday during his presidential campaign rally in Sioux Center, ten days before the Iowa Caucuses. The day before, 17-year-old Dylan Butler opened fire at Perry High School with a pump-action shotgun and a small caliber handgun, wounding seven, including the principal, and killing 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff, who was shot three times. Butler, who police said also had an improvised explosive device, later pulled the trigger on himself, reported the Des Moines Register.

In his brief reference to the incident, Trump said the following:

“To the entire community [of Perry], we love you, we pray for you, and we ask God to heal and comfort…really the whole state and the pain that you have. This is something that is very unique to your state. We’re really with you as much as anybody can be. It’s a very terrible thing that happened. It’s just terrible to see that happening. It’s just horrible. So surprising to see it here. But, uh, we have to get over it. We have to move forward. But to the relatives and to all of the people that are so devastated right now to a point they can’t breathe, they can’t live, we are with you all the way.”

The phrase that stood out to me most was “we have to get over it.” Would you have said that Mr. Trump if Erica Joliff, who most likely spent her weekend picking out her son’s casket, was in the audience at that rally? Or if a parent of any child that has been killed in a school shooting in this country were in attendence (and I do say “this country,” as there’s a reason why the number of school shootings in the U.S. are in the triple digits and others in most country you can count on one or two hands, according to the independent for-profit organization, the World Population Review).

Sure, you can say that that was not what Trump meant with his words or that it was not his intention, but the impression he leaves with those words, along with his demeanor, paints a different picture for me and I’m sure for many others. In this world, I have learned that people, more or less, are horrible at reading one another and knowing what we mean when we say certain phrases that are ambiguous or just poor word choices. Even when any misunderstandings are cleared up, it can leave a person wary about the speaker behind those words, concerned that their lack of tact or tendency to just speak what comes to mind without thinking about the effect those words have on those around them. Failing to do so often leads to a repeat of this character flaw, inevitably building up to a bigger misunderstanding or situation that has severe consequences and/or triggers even more anxiety and fear in those aroudn the speaker, all because of their word choice.

For instance, parents watching this may well fear that their children’s safety will not be important or a top priority in Trump’s administration should he win another term (and yes, that is a possibility that critics and those who do not like or even hate him must acknowledge). By saying we need to “get over” it, Trump is reducing this event along with other shootings to a fight outside on the playground at Three O’Clock.

The words, whether intentional or not, send the very opposite message of what he is trying to assert to the people of Perry when he says that we are “with you” by ignoring the elephant in the room: that gun violence in schools and elsewhere is a significant issues in the U.S. that we are continually failing to address as a nation, adn what (and any other politician , Democrat or Republican) plan to do about it.

Additionally, Trump’s mannerisms as he discussed the shooting only sow further doubt in my mind that he is actually taking the issue seriously or even remotely interested in addressing it. The former president spoke fast and turned his head back and forth with his eyes half-opened. He appeared to glaze over in a different direction, as though his concentration was focus on trying to come up with a few quick, easy words to sum up the shooting, like “terrible” or “horrible”. He kept on saying that it was a “terrible thing to see that happening,” but once again did not explain what as president he will do to stop this type of violence, to ensure those who are not in the right state of mind do not have access to these weapons, and that people in this country, including the most vulnerable, our children, are protected and can feel safe.

Butler, who was an American, was reported to be a frequent target of bullying, and the mental anguish he felt only became worse when he learned that his sister was allegedly being bullied as well, leading to make the decision to enter the school with those firearms and this tragic event to unfold. As a result, there are two families tonight grieving the loss of their sons: one of an 11-year-old boy who only wanted to hang with his friends and play sports, and the other, a misunderstood 17-year-old who was not in the right state of mind and somehow (I’m not sure how) got access to firearms that he should not have been able to access in any way.

Supporters will say that Trump was just tired when he said those words, but he quickly perked up when mentioning Senator Brad Zaun and how he was the first to endorse his campaign. He also could have had the segment of his speech that mentioned Perry written up in advance and read it word-for-word. I often find that in situations like that, having something prepared is the best way of addressing the issue respectfully and more importantly, illustrates an effort to try and show care and understanding in dark times like this.

Additionally, while many will say that undocumented immigrants from Mexico and countries throughout Middle and South America are to blame for the export of guns into the U.S., I would like to point out that the World Population Review only shows eight school shootings between 2009 and 2018 in Mexico compared to the U.S.’s 288. Others had even less, like Brazil at two.

Regardless of how many undocumented immigrants cross the border, there will always be guns in America, many of which are in homes that currently lack the proper security mechanisms to keep them out of the hands of minors and those who are not in the right state of mind to handle them responsibily.

Whether you call this an intentional or mistaken choice of poor wording, Trump’s statement of having to “get over” this tragedy makes me nervous about what another Trump presidency could mean for protection from gun violence in schools and how many more families there will be grieving the loss of their children night after night, especially people of color. Joliff, for example, was Black. This is not to say that he was targeted because of his skin color, as from what I have read, Butler was shooting at anyone within his line of sight. But incidents like this that involve people are color, from what I’ve seen, are not reported half as much as they should be in the media or discussed within the public or by the very individuals that we elect to Congress, the Supreme Court, the presidency, and other federal, state, and local offices.

I cannot help but wonder if both the Butler and Joliff family have seen Trump’s speech yet, and if so, what their reactions to his words were. Were they angry over what he said, okay with it, indifferent? I know they both have more important things to focus on right now than what a candidate says at a rally, but the point is that what you say matters and how you say them and the effect they have matters.

According to U.S. News and World Report, there were 346 school shooting incidents across the country in 2023, equal to an average of nearly one incident per day and the highest total on record since at least 1966. Trump mentioned that this incident was very “unique” to the state of Iowa, which is not entirely correct. Ironically, the shooting in Perry occurred just a few weeks before the one year anniversary of another in Des Moines last year when an 18-year-old shot and killed two teenagers at an alternative educational school and injured one man, according to NPR.

To be clear, I am not saying that we should get rid of all guns in the U.S. But if we are going to have a second amendment, then our government and we the people have a responsibility to ensure it is exercised, regulated, and enforced effectively and safely. This means keeping firearms out of the hands of those who are not responsible to handle them properly. I often hear of people saying that gun control will lead to their guns getting taken away and therefore their protection being compromised. But I have to wonder if it’s because they are afraid that they are hiding something, some secret that if exposed, would make them unsuitable or cause others to question their ability to carry and use a gun. Also, you have to ask yourself if a gun is necessary for your protection. If so, then what are you going to keep it out of the hands of minors and those who are not in the right state of mind to handle the responsibility that comes with it? That has to be the next question and should be followed by actions to ensure this.

It would be remiss of me to say that Trump is not the only one guilty of poor word choices. Biden, himself, also does not have a great track record in this area either. Like last May, when he remarked at a New York fundraiser that his recent trip to Belfast in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, which ended “The Troubles,” a three-decade period of fighting in Northern Ireland between Irish nationalists and British unionists, was to make sure “the Brits didn’t screw around and Northern Ireland didn’t walk away from their commitments.”

While I understand that the two examples do not hold the same weight in consequences and context, his lack of tact did justifiably anger our greatest overseas ally, Britain. Shailesh Vara, a Conservative MP who served briefly as Northern Ireland secretary, called his comments “deeply regrettable” and said that his language made it “frightening to think this man is the leader of the free world,” reported Politico.

It is examples like this that make me worry about this election more so than others, as I have reservations about both Biden and Trump’s abilities to navigate the sensitive nature of our domestic and foreign affairs.

Lastly, as a side note, I will say that I am tired of not just Trump but practically all politicians saying things like, “We ask God to heal and comfort…,” as this is a solution that has time and time again failed to curb or stop gun violence in schools and elsewhere in the U.S. It is, in my opinion, an excuse within the GOP and among conservatives to detract from the issue at hand and calls for more gun control. It also is a hypocritical statement in the face of the right to freedom of religion, as guaranteed under the First Amendment, as well as Separation of Church and State. This country has no nationwide religion for a reason (despite the continuous double standards that give the impression otherwise that it is Christanity, but that is for another blog post), and any phrases mentioning God in political speeches do a disservice to those whose religious or non-religous beliefs do not pertain to one or any specific God.

While I could continue to write more about this particular subject, to make a long story short, we should not “get over it” but rather “learn” from the tragedy that unfolded on Thursday in Perry and “act” by enacting and enforcing measures that will end this issue, which plays out everyday somewhere in the U.S. as though it’s on a never-ending loop that is programmed to automatically repeat itself the moment one tragedy ends.

This is not just a message for you, Mr. Trump, but you as well Mr. Biden and every other candidate in this and previous elections. It is also a message to the men and women who serve as our senators and representatives in Congress and as Justices on the Supreme Court as well as state and local elected officials.

Rather than pointing fingers at one another, the inability on all of your parts to end gun violence in schools and in general, and to protect the citizens of the U.S. and anyone who visits our country from shootings like this is a collective failure that you are all responsible for, whether you choose to accept it or not. Do better for our nation and us, the people!