406 Forum: Gun Violence

As events like the Las Vegas shooting happen more frequently, has your sense of safety in public spaces changed? Are there any changes you’ve made to your lifestyle to reflect that? If so, what are they?

Carolyn Bentley
Tempe, Arizona

“My sense of safety hasn’t changed. I haven’t followed the news closely on it so it might not affect me the same as other people. But I think that those incidents are always possible. It’s sad that it happened but it’s not something that I’m changing my life on.”

Curtis Swanson
Bozeman, Montana

“You can’t live through your life being fearful that somebody is going to shoot you from 15 stories up. If anything, put your thoughts out there and have those thoughts change those people’s mindsets that are fearful.”

Rob Culliton
New York, New York

“No, there actually haven’t been many changes to my lifestyle. Growing up I remember when I was in middle school when 9/11 happened. From a very early age, it felt like it was ingrained that you can’t let it throw off your lifestyle and what you want to do.”

Kristen Cooper
Big Sky, Montana

“I’m not sure if my sense of safety in public places has changed but the sense of urgency to destigmatize mental illness has for sure. There’s no need to have assault weapons, especially as a civilian, and it makes me nervous when anyone can get ahold of them, let alone people with mental illnesses. But that’s not the problem. The problem is we’re not recognizing and treating people with mental illness.”