Carolina Sanchez/Contributing Writer
A shooting occurred Friday, Jan. 6 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and a total of 5 people have been declared dead while others have sustained potentially fatal injuries.
I was at a Fort Lauderdale beach with some friends when the news broke out and my cousin, who is here on vacation, rhetorically asked, “Are we safe anywhere?”
The chaos at the airport’s boardwalk was evident; ambulances rushed, police sirens rang and congestion populated the sandy streets. The city seemed in a frenzy as everyone wondered whether the shooting was a terrorist attack or the workings of a madman.
As the world seems to progress in terms of technology and other phenomena, it also seems to regress in other areas. Crime seems to be at an all time high. Hate crimes and discriminatory acts seem more rampant than ever before. Most Americans are in general fear for their safety against terrorist attacks by extremist groups.
It seems as though any breaking news, local or otherwise, only works against us in a more divisive manner rather than promoting inclusiveness; these incidents inevitably instill fear in us. The majority of news on TV is almost always violent or aggression related, endorsing panic and distress.
Our country seems more divided than ever in addition to recent post-election events. All of these circumstances beg the question: is America headed in the correct direction? In light of these situations, it may seem as though more explicit governmental action is much needed and long overdue.
A new nation-wide security plan should be proposed in order to prevent events such as Friday’s shooting from occurring. Campaigns promoting safety and general welfare should be executed to help Americans feel safer and protected. Higher security should be a requisite for particularly populated areas such as airports.
It always seems as though new rules and regulations are only set in place after a major catastrophe draws attention to the problem. Following events such as 9/11 and Friday’s shooting, it’s obvious that airport security deserves more reform, although existing laws may need restructuring for such changes to take effect.
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Image retrieved from Flickr.