Photo Credit: Justin Higuchi
Every time a mass shooting happens, a similar narrative takes place: “thoughts and prayers,” “it is too soon too talk about gun control,” which is followed by no meaningful action taking place. Recently, enough fed up citizens are starting to raise their voices and are making it clear that the time for discussion and action is now.
“Thoughts and Prayers” by grandson was originally released on March 23, 2018, released just before March For Our Lives, that took place in Washington, D.C. Grandson performed a version of the tune with the West Los Angeles Children Choir, at one of the many sister marches.
The poignant lyrics makes it clear that the lack of political inaction is compounded by special interest groups like the NRA which “lobby for the violence” and they are able to overlook the casualties because “fear is good for profit.”
One of the main catalyst for the formation of March For Our Lives was the February 14th, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people.
There has been several incidents of mass shootings since then, including one that took place on October 27, 2018, in the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Eleven people were senselessly murdered.
Even though grandson’s lyrics may have school shootings in mind, with lyrics such as “they wanna arm the teachers,” the sentiments equally apply. You have politicians, such as Donald Trump, who suggested that the synagogue shooting could be prevented by having armed guards. Instead of schools and places of worship being safe havens, those that profit from the gun lobby’s blood money want to turn them into armed fortresses.
Previously featured “Blood // Water” by grandson as a Daily Dose of Protest.