I'm A School Shooting Survivor. The Violence We're Seeing From ICE Has Me Reliving Some Of My Worst Trauma.
I'm A School Shooting Survivor. The Violence We're Seeing From ICE Has Me Reliving Some Of My Worst Trauma.
It was the screaming in the video of Alex Pretti's murder that keeled me over nauseous when it first came across my X feed.
As a survivor of the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, I thought I had seen the worst of humanity. But the recent violence from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has me reliving some of my worst trauma.
The video of Alex Pretti's murder, a 19-year-old man who was shot and killed by ICE agents, has been circulating on social media. It's a disturbing reminder of the violence that can occur when those in power are given too much authority.
As someone who has experienced trauma firsthand, I can attest to the fact that it can be triggered by even the smallest things. The sound of a gun being fired, the sight of blood, the smell of smoke - all of these things can bring back memories that I thought I had long buried.
But it's not just the violence itself that's triggering for me. It's the fact that it's happening in our country, in our communities, and in our own backyard. It's the fact that our government is allowing this to happen, and that they're not doing enough to stop it.
I'm not alone in my feelings. Many others have spoken out about the trauma they've experienced as a result of ICE's actions. And it's not just the survivors of school shootings who are affected - it's also the families of those who have been killed by ICE agents.
The violence we're seeing from ICE is a symptom of a larger problem. It's a problem of systemic racism, of xenophobia, and of a government that is more interested in punishing its citizens than in protecting them.
As a survivor of a school shooting, I know that the trauma I experienced will stay with me for the rest of my life. But I also know that I'm not alone. And I know that together, we can create a world where violence is not tolerated, and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.