We, the owners of Blueprint Coffee, each grew up during or in the wake of the Columbine era. The Columbine High School massacre in 1999 was one of the deadliest shootings at a school in the history of the United States. Now, it’s not even one of the top three deadliest.
The death toll from mass shootings in the U.S. has risen in recent years, and gun violence continues to threaten the lives of everyday Americans in school, at the grocery store, even at church. In the aftermath of every deadly incident, we collectively witness our nation’s inadequate response.
The level of gun violence experienced today is truly an American problem. Effective changes to legislation have reduced gun violence elsewhere in the world. This isn’t about overturning the Second Amendment or taking away someone’s right to responsible gun ownership. This is about reducing the number of Americans who are killed by gun violence.
Our platform on social media allows us to reach a wide audience, which we know comes with great responsibility, and we choose to use our voice to remember shooting victims who have been taken too soon and to highlight the survivors and community members taking action in the face of immense grief and trauma.
Our goal with these posts on social media is to inspire others concerned about the level of gun violence in the U.S. to explore common-sense gun laws and thoughtful reform, and to encourage our elected officials to stand up and take action. Moreover, we hope to use these posts to make ourselves stay present to the culture of violence in our society, to be active witnesses, and to not allow any of this to become “normal.”
Each one of us hopes to experience these posts as a personal reminder and an impetus to reflect internally on how our everyday lives contribute to, or challenge, the violence inherent in modern American life.
Too many people have died for us to stay silent.
Sincerely,
The Blueprint Coffee Ownership Team
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