Will Donald Trump honor Denver STEM School shooting hero Kendrick Castillo?
Opinion: Kendrick Castillo gave his life lunging at a gunman in his classroom. He deserves more than prayers and condolences. As do all victims of gun violence.
EJ Montini
A few weeks back, President Donald Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods, who is very good at golf and also has a business relationship with Trump.
So far, Kendrick Castillo has yet even to receive a presidential tweet. Not one that mentions his name, anyway.
Castillo lunged at one of two young gunmen at STEM School Highlands Ranch outside of Denver on Tuesday.
He was shot and killed.
Two other students also went after the shooter.
Dying days before graduation
A classmate named Nui Giasolli told NBC’s Today that Castillo didn’t hesitate after spotting the weapon.
She said, "That’s when Kendrick lunged at him, and he shot Kendrick, giving all of us enough time to get underneath our desks, to get ourselves safe, and to run across the room to escape."
Quick response from students, a school security guard and first responders limited what could have been a bigger tragedy. As it was, in addition to Castillo’s death there were eight injuries. Two gunmen are in custody, one 18, one 16.
A pathetic political routine
Afterward, politicians followed a much-practiced routine.
They condemned the shooting. They mourned the loss. They offered prayers and condolences.
They moved on.
Trump tweeted:
Then he went back to trashing Democrats and praising his self-perceived accomplishments.
It shouldn't surprise us.
Whenever there is a violent incident that should spur action on the gun violence problem, all we ever get from politicians like Trump are words.
They rely too heavily on the deep pockets of the National Rifle Association and the rest of the gun lobby to do anything else. And because of it, great young people like Kendrick Castillo are made to die as heroes.
Something we SHOULD talk about
“Unspeakable violence,” Trump said.
We're only in May and already the Gun Violence Archive reports there have been nearly 5,000 firearms deaths and more than 9,000 injuries in the U.S. (The website notes that it does not include the nearly 22,000 suicides by gun each year.)
Unspeakable violence?
Why not speak of it? Loudly. Pointing out that it can, in many ways, be preventable violence.
Following mass shootings at places ranging from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, the victims, survivors and their advocates have asked elected officials to legislate a few commonsense regulations. A ban on assault weapons. A ban on high-capacity magazines. Universal background checks on every gun sale. Some others.
How about praying for action?
What we get instead are words.
Prayers and condolences.
Or, in the case of Kendrick Castillo, who actually deserves a Presidential Medal of Freedom, not even a tweet.
Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com