UNLV students were in the middle of finals. They were about to go home for the holidays; their parents were probably planning fun things to do with their kids in town—Christmas lights, nutcracker markets, or Santa pictures with younger siblings. For those who have now just lost their kids in America’s latest mass shooting, they’ll now have to plan a funeral for their children. Children they’ve seen play in plastic pools as babies, children they’ve seen walk across their high school graduation stage, children they had hopes and dreams for; plans to see them get married and live their lives. This is a nightmare and they do not deserve this. This reality where we see new victims created before we can bury other victims is a facet of life we must not tolerate. This is not okay, this is not normal, and this is not another headline we can glance over. Some may say “don’t politicize this,” but we have to. These statements, the 24/7 coverage, the immediate outrage will mean nothing if we do not act in a manner of substance. I’m praying for the new families that will now have empty chairs at their dinner tables this winter. This pain will never go away; and our failure as a nation to have prevented this pain will last forever. Enough is enough.