I’m a Virginia Tech alum (class of ’91) and teach in a public school. I believe that it’s more important than ever that our nation sends the message to everyone that gun violence is not acceptable, and that we will not rely on reaction-only policies to keep people safe. Our culture often glorifies gun violence—in the form of, for example, movies, video games, toys, and the classic “macho man” with a firearm as much as--or more than--it works to prevent it. Instead of feeding a flourishing “wild west” mentality, we need to hold everyone to a higher standard and keep guns out of at least some of our public spaces!