Office of the President: A message from President Eddinger on the recent events in Uvalde, Laguna Woods, and Buffalo

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Dear BHCC Community,

Yesterday, the scope of national tragedy grew larger: the senseless murder of 19 people, all but one of them school children, in Uvalde, Texas. The more frequently these tragedies occur, the harder they are to comprehend. A supermarket in Buffalo, a church in Laguna Woods, a school in Parkland, a school in Sandy Hook, and so many more murders driven by racism, misogyny, homophobia, and other forms of hate, made possible by the easy reach of a gun. How do we end this senseless cycle of violence? Why are the broadly popular policies for gun safety left to languish in the halls of power? Why is the most common reaction to these mass shootings to simply wait for the next one?

As a college president, I have written too many condolence messages like this one, and each time I hope it would be the last. But without real change—without addressing the instruments of hate and violence as well as the root causes of it—I know I will continue to write more of them.  We must act, each in our capacity, to stop this. We also hold out hope, coupled with renewed advocacy, to press our elected leaders to find the courage to enact reforms that will prevent these tragedies in the future.

Today, with great sadness, I once again join other College presidents, community leaders, elected officials, and our Bunker Hill community to offer condolences and sympathy to the families and victims of Uvalde, of Buffalo, and of Laguna Woods.

Here within our College community, let’s take a moment for silent reflection today to remember the victims of these violent crimes. Events of mass violence and trauma like these can also evoke all kinds of feelings and reactions, so please check in with each other, listen to each other, and if you are struggling, please reach out for support. Students can use the My Student Support Program for 24/7 access to counselors and other resources, and employees can use Lifeworks, the College’s Employee Assistance Program for access to mental health resources and a 24/7 toll-free hotline. Additional resources are available at The Trevor Project, as well as strategies for talking to children about mass shootings from The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.  

Wishing you peace, 

Pam Eddinger 
President 

To learn more about BHCC’s emergency protocols, visit bhcc.edu/emergency. To sign up for emergency text alerts from BHCC, visit bhcc.edu/alertsignup.