I WANT TO BUY A GUN. I AM 25 YEARS OLD AND A SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO SMALL BOYS, AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I CRY. I WATCH THE NEWS AND I CRY FOR THE VICTIMS AND I CRY FOR THE CHILDREN. I CRY FOR THE FACT THAT THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM US...MY KIDS AND ME. AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I TALK. I TALK TO MY KIDS ABOUT STRANGERS AND YES, EVEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR BODIES AND THEIR MINDS - FOR THAT IS ALL THEY HAVE WHICH THEY CAN TRULY CALL THEIR OWN...UNTIL SOME SICK AND DEMENTED CREATURE TRYS TO TEAR IT FROM THEM. AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I PRAY. I PRAY FOR SAFETY, FOR GUIDANCE, FOR PROTECTION, FOR STRENGTH. I PRAY THE SAME WAY THAT WOMAN DID. MY KIDS PRAY THE SAME WAY THOSE CHILDREN DID. BUT THEY ARE GONE NOW. AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I OBEY. I OBEY THE LAWS OF ORDER AND THE LAWS OF ETHICS. I WORK HARD AND PAY THE BILLS. I HAVE NEVER COMMITTED A CRIME OR BEEN A VICTIM OF A VIOLENT ONE...YET. AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I TEACH. I TEACH MY CHILDREN TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND THEIR INSTINCTS. I TEACH THEM TO WORK HARD AT WHATEVER THEY DO AND TO BE SATISFIED WITH THEIR BEST. I TEACH THEM TO BE STRONG AND TO NEVER GIVE UP...BUT THEY ARE SO SMALL. AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I SEARCH. I SEARCH FOR A WAY TO TELL MY BOYS WHY WE CAN'T GO TO THE PARK ANYMORE. WHY WE CAN'T GO FOR ICE-CREAM AFTER DARK. I SEARCH FOR AN EXPLANATION THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO A CHILD, AN EXPLANATION THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME. AND I WANT TO BY A GUN.

I FEAR. I FEAR FOR MY CHILDREN'S LIFE. FOR MY LIFE. I FEAR FOR THE UNHEARD CRIES FROM AN ALLEY IN THE GHETTO. I FEAR FOR THE INNOCENT PERSON WHO GETS SHOT IN THE HEAD BECAUSE SOME LOW-LIFE HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO AT THE TIME. AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.

I SCREAM. I SCREAM INTO THE BLACK NIGHT AND I HEAR NO ECHO...FOR THE SOUND GOES NO FURTHER THAN MY THROAT. EVEN I CAN'T HEAR IT ANYMORE. LIKE AWAKENING FROM A DREAM AND YOUR MOUTH IS WIDE OPEN BUT NOTHING IS COMING OUT...ONLY IT ISN'T A DREAM. IT IS REALITY. IT IS WHAT WE LIVE WITH DAY TO DAY...THIS IS THE WAY WE LIVE, THE WAY SOME OF US WILL DIE...AND I WANT TO BUY A GUN.