I wept when I heard of the Charleston church shootings; wept for the senseless loss of life, wept for how we as a nation have become numb to these never-ending tragedies. And wept precisely for the frustration so many of us feel for seemingly being unable to do anything about it.

The President, who has addressed the nation 13 times after such “mass shootings” (the “minor” ones don’t make CNN), said it himself:

“Unfortunately, the grip of the National Rifle Association on Congress is extremely strong. I don’t foresee any legislative action being taken in this Congress, and I don’t foresee any real action being taken until the American public feels a sufficient sense of urgency.”

A sad and sober assessment from the man who brought us a message of hope and change.

Well I am not willing or able to acquiesce to my or Obama’s cynicism on this issue. There are no easy answers, but there are indeed simple, everyday actions we all can take to empower ourselves and start being the change we wish to see in the world.

I suggest that if you want to see less violence in society, then stop consuming it. Seriously. Just like any other product, if we stop buying it, they’ll stop making it.

Rather than seeing the latest iteration of “Lethal Weapon,” check out “Moneyball” instead. At birthday gift time, choose the baseball mitt over “Mortal Kombat.” I am not naïve. Admittedly, these actions alone will not ameliorate this enormously complex problem. But we have to start somewhere. And the power of the pocketbook is huge; perhaps the only thing that gets the attention of corporations and Congress.

Andy Wickstrand

Olga