There are many arguments surrounding the shooter(Nikolas Cruz), most of them are concerning mental illness and drugs. Scores of psychiatrists took to social media explaining that the root cause of all shootings were the prescription drugs that were given to patients with mental disorders. And while that may be part of the problem, it’s not always the whole issue. Again we see even with the Florida school shooter there was domestic abuse involved, depression and possibly some radicalization by a white supremacist group but really no mention of psychiatric drugs. After being shuffled around between different houses and finally landing in a permanent place, his depression worsened and his love of guns increased. Counseling was an option but Nikolas Cruz never made it. All of the signs were there but no one listened and everyone is trying to put together a variety of scenarios as to what caused all of this and prescription drugs seem to make the top of the list but were never part of the story. Instagram posts discussed the killings of animals and his host family didn’t find it an issue that he was depressed and had guns. I guess they thought he would just keep to himself.
Guns are easily purchased by people who intend to do harm in a way that fits their carnal need for revenge, blood lust and organized criminal activity. The same weapons that are purchased by disillusioned young people, mentally unstable people and legally registered gun owners are same ones purchased by a person or group that forces women and young girls into prostitution. The drugs are what keeps them compliant in their bondage. Conversely when the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School marched to the capital in Tallahassee they were told that a bill to declare pornography a public safety issue will take precedence over gun laws. It’s very telling that now of all times they are worried about this-especially since the President has a history with pornography that no one seems to have an issue with. They love their guns so much that they are willing to sign a bill that they would NEVER have signed before just to shut these students up.
So let’s tie this all together. When we look at the #MeToo movement we see groups of women from everywhere basically talking about the rape culture that has overcome-basically the world. The sub cultures include sexual harrassment, assault, abuse and exploitation. Not every woman has had this experience with a Hollywood elite where their weapon was their power and wealth. Some have experienced violent encounters where guns-purchased illegally-were used to keep them in place. The greatest exacerbater of the rape culture in our society is pornography. It is estimated that 79% of men between the ages of 18 and 30 watch porn on a monthly basis and 67% of men ages 31 to 49 view porn monthly as well. This creates more of an unstable environment for women. What it also does is keep up the demand in the world of sex trafficking. In order to keep the supply up traffickers must “find” young women that meet the standards of the sex buyer so money can be made. How does that happen? Guns. Drugs. Both illegal. The guns to break them down and cause fear and the drugs to give the buyer control. All three of these things can affect young people and destroy their lives. I’m not saying that with stricter gun laws there would be no trafficking or pornograhy-not by a long shot. what I am saying is declaring pornography a public safety issue is not enough, just focusing on getting people with mental disabilities help before they buy guns is not enough. This country allows the flow of mind altering drugs to take over so many peoples lives and even those activists haven’t gotten much satisfaction.
What we are seeing now is women, men and young people fed up. The pot has finally boiled over and it has spilled out cries for justice and redemption. It has awakened the spirits of revolution’s past and brought it front and center to the modern world. A new fight is at hand and the young people are leading the way, all different races and cultures like a beautiful rainbow of peaceful activism. They should now that they are not the only generation that has gotten hateful push back from the government but they should also know to keep going until you change happens. This is undoubtedly a new era, one that will expose all the racism, misogyny and violence this country has been forcing down everyone’s throat.  It’s like the old Bob Dylan song “Times they are a changin”.

BeaSister2aSister is 501(3) non profit that helps survivors of Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, Abuse and Exploitation become self sustainable and free from programs and agencies that keep in interdependence.
Would you please take a moment and visit our site @ http://www.beasister2asister.org and consider donating to help us to help survivors find their true independence. Just go to Give Today and donate an amount of your choice, or consider being a monthly donor of $25, $50, or $100. For more information please email: info@beasister2asister.org

Samantha Inesta
Founder/Executive Director
BeaSister2aSister