Uvalde, Texas

Statement of the 50th Chicano Moratorium Committee on Memorial Day 2022 and Gun Violence in Uvalde, Texas.

This Memorial Day 2022 carried added grief & sorrow to our community and our children, while we honored the human lives and sacrifices of family members lost in wars, we witnessed horrible domestic violence on innocent babies/students in our schools.

THE YOUNG STUDENTS: Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, Alithia Ramirez, Amerie Jo Garza, Annabel Guadalupe Rodriguez, Elia Cruz Torres, Eliana “Ellie” Garcia, Jackie Carazes, Jailah Nicole Silguero, Jayce Luevanos, Jose Flores, Layla Salazar, Maite Rodriguez, Makenna Lee Elrod, Miranda Mathias, Nevaeh Bravo, Rogelio Torres, Tess Marie Mata, Uziyah Garcia, Xavier Lopez; and, THE TEACHERS: Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia

All these human beings died unnecessarily at the hands of the violence that is deeply rooted in the American culture. Adding more pain, injury, insult, lack of compassion, and another layer of racism to the horrific tragedy, the NRA (National Rifle Association) still held their convention a few days later in Houston, Texas. The NRA’s lack of human decency is a clear message that they do not value the lives of all those Mexican American children and teachers who perished in yet another unfortunate and unnecessary gun-violent tragedy in the U.S.A.

We, the 50th Chicano Moratorium Committee, extend our heartfelt thoughts to the families of all the victims and their loved ones. We condemn the violence, as well as the lack of immediate response by law enforcement, and their inability to care enough to save as many of those Mexican/Chicano children and their teachers as possible.

We call upon Congress to pass laws that will help put a stop to the unnecessary, unlawful sale and use of guns to people who can cause harm to other human beings. Background checks for gun purchase are a small inconvenience to have in place in order to preserve the life of other human beings in America.