People died. Innocent people, who just wanted to enjoy a night of good music, drinks and memories they would never forget. Unfortunately, those who were on Route 91 in Las Vegas will never forget what happened to them. Instead, they will continue to hear gun shots rip through the air. They will continue to hear the screams and pleas for help. They will still remember the blood that stained the streets. For it was a night where 59 innocent United States citizens lost their lives and more that 500 were left injured, according to CNN.

“This is an unspeakable tragedy…there is a time and a place for political debate, but right now is the time to unite as a country…it would be premature to discuss policy without knowing all of the facts,” said Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

On Monday night, Jimmy Kimmel, who loves comedy, but held back a sob of heartbreak for his hometown and the lost lives, could not believe the words of, “not the time to talk about gun control.”  “We have 59 innocent people dead,” Kimmel said, “it wasn’t their time either. So I think now is the time for political debate.”

Politicians who are against the policy of gun control sent out condolences to the victims’ families, but isn’t that rather insincere? Those politicians pretty much said that they are sorry for the death of your loved one, but there is nothing they are truly going to do to stop it, because now is not the time for gun control. 

According to the Washington Times, “President Trump is not reopening a political debate on gun control,” which begs the question, why not?

Why would our president, who is so fixated on threatening North Korea, not discuss political action against domestic enemies? Could it be because the shooter was a 64-year-old, white, gun-enthusiast multimillionaire male? Or simply because it is just not the time to talk about gun control?

What is rather disturbing is the honest statement made by the host of the Daily Show, Trevor Noah. “We are so accustomed to this that I know how it will play out,” he said. “We’re shocked. We’re sad. Thoughts and prayers. And then, almost on cue, people are going to say ‘Whatever you do, whenever speaking about shootings, don’t talk about guns.’” 

Noah is right; we have grown accustomed to mass shootings, but they never fail to put half of the nation in a frenzy over gun control laws. The other half, well they have their own slogan; “Now is not the time to talk about gun control.”

Those involved best remember Sandy Hook, those who were there remember Orlando, and just like its predecessors, Route 91 will fall to the same fate. It will be a story that if you were not affected directly, you will have a hard time remembering which mass shooting that was. Which means that those who firmly believe that “now is not the time to talk about gun control” will ultimately win the battle.

By not talking about gun control, we are keeping a silence that is deadlier than speaking our minds. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.”