Announcer:
This episode is brought to you by Pacific Oaks College, experience that impacts community. Learn more at pacificoaks.edu.
Aliah Wright:
From the National Association of Social Workers, I'm your host, Aliah Wright, and this is Social Work Talks. In today's episode, we're going to discuss a tough topic, the recent mass shootings, not the tragic ones that occurred over the weekend in Philadelphia, Tennessee, Virginia, Arizona, and South Carolina that left a half dozen dead, but the school shooting on May 24th at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Eighteen-year-old Salvador Ramos fatally shot 19 students and two teachers, and he wounded 17 others. Joining us today is Will Francis, executive director of NASW's Texas chapter. Thank you for joining us, Will.
Will Francis:
Thank you for having me, Aliah.
Aliah Wright:
Let's jump right in. So, Texas has been the scene of multiple mass shootings. In fact, according to the Texas Tribune, Texas has had eight mass shootings in the past 13 years, while lawmakers have steadily loosened restrictions on carrying firearms. What is the environment there?
Will Francis:
Your intro, I think, reflects how Texas is feeling, which is, when is this going to stop? When is it going to end? The number of shootings that have occurred after Uvalde is just mind-boggling. To think that we're still in a state of vigilance against violence from people who have access to guns. I think people are angry in Texas. I think, across the political aisle, people want to talk about access to firearms, and there's stonewalling from our leaders. And there's an inability to really get to the root core of what we're talking about here, which is why is it so easy to get guns that can do so much damage? So there's a lot of confusion, a lot of pain. Texas is a resilient state, and I see a lot of people stepping up to support Uvalde and other communities. But they want answers on how we're going to prevent the next one because as you indicated, it just keeps happening again and again.
Aliah Wright:
This one hit us especially hard because these were school children, fourth graders, and two teachers, and they were right near the end of the school year. How are social workers and the public responding to the latest shootings?
Will Francis:
I've been so overwhelmed with people reaching out and saying, "How can I help?" The reality is the reverberations from this are enormous. And many communities where you're from are grappling with this, whether you're in Texas or not. So part of my guidance to people is, you don't have to come to Uvalde to volunteer to deal with the trauma of this event, you can look to your own community. You can look to schools in your area. You can look to policymakers in your area as well. So, I would say first and foremost, you don't have to come to the epicenter to be of value and to really contribute. And then people in Texas, social workers have been extending services. And in this new landscape with telehealth and with more therapists who speak Spanish and who have an understanding of trauma, we're finding that there's great resources, but we also want to be respectful of the families. And we understand that they're going through such immense grief and are processing this in their own way. So it's sort of a balance between what can social workers do, and how can we be of service? And ensuring that's really what our clients and communities need, and whether we're plugging in, in a way that is really most helpful to them.
Aliah Wright:
While polls from the University of Texas consistently show Texans are divided about gun control, with 40 to 50 percent saying they want stricter gun laws, the vast majority of laws passed over the past 13 years there by the state's Republican-controlled Congress have expanded where guns are allowed, who has the right to openly carry weapons, and who can have firearms in schools. Do you think change will only come if Republicans aren't in control?
Will Francis:
I think that's a really important question, which is, why do we keep repeating the same things over and over again? Which is a tragedy leads to death, and it doesn't lead to answers. I remember sitting in Senate hearings after Santa Fe and hearing people talking about concrete barriers and bulletproof glass and metal detectors. And none of that addresses the root cause, why are people in crisis to where they feel they've got to lash out in such a horrific way? Why do we need more social workers and mental health support services in schools? What are the issues underneath that? And the legislators just aren't really willing to talk about that. A congressional report from 2019 indicated that gun violence cost Texas $16.6 billion a year. And you would think Republicans would come to the table on pocketbook issues and understand that by actually addressing this, we could really support the infrastructure of our state, but it just hasn't happened. And I think my big concern is that a small portion of the voters and a larger portion of the funders of the Republican Party don't want change, and that's put us in some gridlock. So I think voting is, as you indicate, going to be a really key part of change.
Aliah Wright:
I want you to repeat that amount again because that was a shocking statistic. Can you repeat that, please, for our listeners?
Will Francis:
Yes. $16.6 billion a year. And that's based on crime, it's based on suicide, it's based on mental health issues, it's based on the impact of lawsuits, it's based on the damage done to lives in communities. We're one of the higher states, but we're not the highest when it comes to overall gun death and whatnot. That's how, I think, insane the current climate in this country is to where... I think I saw a statistic that said more kids die every year from gun violence than we lose police or military personnel.
Aliah Wright:
Wow.
Will Francis:
We're seeing tragic, tragic things happen at home in ways that we're just not addressing. So be it the dollars you see or the lives themselves, it's just all way too much.
Aliah Wright:
Why is this such a tough issue when most people want stricter gun control laws?
Will Francis:
I think it's complicated. I think America, I don't want to say we're addicted to the gun, but I think as a culture, we've sort of glorified it in so many ways. You just see it as such an integral part of our history, be it in the wars we fought or the Wild West, or the early establishment of the frontier. All of those have incredible trauma, negative, racist, misogynistic, other connotations yet there's still that sort of American idealism that's held on in there, this idea that through the gun, we overcame in a sense. And I think that's a really hard thing to remove culturally if you don't actually get honest about it. So because our policymakers are unwilling to put the gun on the table, it continues to remain in people's hands. And that's really, really sad. I think in addition, it's sort of this idea that, "Oh, the Second Amendment protects guns." And we know it doesn't. As Joe Biden himself said so eloquently, it didn't mean you could own a cannon back then. It doesn't mean you can own anything. And the idea of a well-regulated militia and someone having a weapon of mass destruction against other people are not the same things. But they've been so conflated, and unfortunately, so politicized, that people think any discussion of gun control means removing all weapons, which is not the case, obviously. But it really has become a barrier to even starting discussions that are just going to be vital to the wellbeing of so many people here.
Aliah Wright:
Listeners, we'll be right back.
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Aliah Wright:
And we're back. The New York Times reports that according to the gun violence archive, more than 240 mass shootings have occurred so far this year. They define these shootings as one in which four or more people are killed or injured. Mass shootings in the United States have also risen dramatically during the pandemic. Will, what can social workers do now to address this issue?
Will Francis:
I think it's an excellent question, Aliah, because, obviously, we need to stand up and raise our voices for, call it gun control, call it gun safety, call it access to firearms, whatever it is, it's just responsible discussions about what role guns play in all of these violent acts. There is a mental health discussion here as well. And I don't want to necessarily conflate the two, although they're obviously joined at the hip and very much connected, but we know that mental health needs to be supported, funded, and uplifted the same way discussions around gun control do. And I think when we think about it, those shootings you mentioned where four more people died, in so many of those instances, the gunmen themselves is either shot or commit suicide through it. And I think in so many of those, essentially, suicide is really at the core of what it is. And it's someone who is facing such overwhelming challenges that the hopelessness of their lives engulfs other people through the violence. And when I think we really, really have to look at that and say, "Could we better treat this through supporting suicide prevention, through mental health awareness, through engagement, ensuring those people who are in engaging crisis don't have ready access to a gun?" In Tulsa, the man who shot up the hospital, bought the gun that day. So we have to put barriers on what it means for access. But even more than that, we really have to look, "How do we prevent, engage, and connect with people in such overwhelming crisis before they reach that stage of violence?"
Aliah Wright:
And what are some of the activities NASW Texas is doing?
Will Francis:
When it comes to Uvalde, we're collecting a list of providers here in Texas, again, who have Spanish-speaking backgrounds, who are engaged in trauma work, who can get in there and provide telehealth services. We're asking people to understand everybody shows up the first week and nobody's there in the third month it seems like. So remember these communities and remember that they're going to need support. We have some spaces on our website where you can donate because many of these families need dollars now. Medical bills or loss of work, or other traumas that come from this are very, very real. And it's not about waiting for dollars, it's supporting them now. And then we're setting up, at our conference in October, a larger training that is really focused on community healing from trauma. We understand that providers often show up and social workers engage in one-on-one trauma work, but what about the community? How do you heal a community that has gone through something so devastating? And how do you heal other communities where the impact is felt? So we just really want to make sure people understand, to really, really help, it doesn't just mean dropping some money or a tweet or attention now. It's remaining engaged long-term, both in the advocacy work to change the very fabric of how we access firearms, and to make sure that people have the resources that they need.
Aliah Wright:
Are there any final thoughts that you'd like to share, Will, with our listeners?
Will Francis:
Just really that no matter where you are, whether you're in Texas or out of Texas, these are vital conversations. We really are connected as a nation. And while we have these state laws, and maybe Texas, it's a lot easier to get a gun than somewhere else, advocacy helps in contacting your state Senator and contacting the president and contacting those really at the national level who can make a difference is important. So I would really ask that people be diligent about their advocacy. I know there's a lot of things under attack right now from bodily autonomy, to what it means to discuss race in this country, to access to firearms. And social workers need to be engaged in them all. NASW is an excellent place for that. And I would encourage people to get involved in NASW if they want to get involved in advocacy and really help let their voice make a difference in change.
Aliah Wright:
Will, thank you so much for joining us. Listeners, you can find details about NASW's advocacy around these issues and resources on our website.
Announcer:
You have been listening to NASW Social Work Talks, a production of the National Association of Social Workers. We encourage you to visit NASW's website for more information about our efforts to enhance the professional growth and development of our members to create and maintain professional standards and to advance sound social policies. You can learn more at www.socialworkers.org. And don't forget to subscribe to NASW Social Work Talks wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next episode.