People grieve outside the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center, where the community has gathered in the wake of a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. (Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images) Jewish groups have issued tweets expressing horror and outrage over the May 24 mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas that resulted in 19 students and two teachers dead.
The shooting occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, a city west of San Antonio. The alleged shooter, reportedly identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, was also killed by police officers and is believed to have acted alone. Ramos also allegedly shot his grandmother, who is currently in critical condition. Two law enforcement officers were wounded, though their injuries are not believed to be serious. Thirteen students from the elementary school have been hospitalized. The suspect is also believed to have been from Uvalde and was a student at a nearby high school. The police have also been criticized for not stopping the shooter sooner, and the authorities have acknowledged the situation could have been handled better.
“We are absolutely devastated, outraged and heartbroken by reports of 14 children and 1 teacher killed at a school in Uvalde, TX,” the Anti-Defamation League tweeted. “As we investigate the shooter’s social media footprint, we send our deep condolences to the grieving families affected by this horrific, violent act.”
We are absolutely devastated, outraged and heartbroken by reports of 14 children and 1 teacher killed at a school in Uvalde, TX. As we investigate the shooter’s social media footprint, we send our deep condolences to the grieving families affected by this horrific, violent act.
— ADL (@ADL) May 24, 2022
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) also tweeted, “Once again we feel despair, rage, and shock at another senseless act of violence. No words can heal these wounds. Our thoughts are with the grieving families.” AJC CEO David Harris wrote in his own separate tweet that the shooting was “another occasion for national shock, mourning &, yes, anger. Will the pandemic of violence in our nation ever end?”
Our hearts are absolutely broken by the reports of 14 children murdered at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.
Once again we feel despair, rage, and shock at another senseless act of violence.
No words can heal these wounds.
Our thoughts are with the grieving families.
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) May 24, 2022
Robb Elementary School. #Uvalde, Texas.
A mass shooting. So far, reports say that 14 elementary school children & a teacher killed.
Another unspeakable horror. Another occasion for national shock, mourning &, yes, anger.
Will the pandemic of violence in our nation ever end?
— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) May 24, 2022
The Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted that they join “with all Americans in shedding tears for the families of the 19 innocent school children and 2 adults who were shot to death by a deranged murderer. We urge Democrats and Republicans alike to set aside their differences and work together to assure the safety of every child in every school in America, and to help put an end to the endless scourge of mass murders besetting the world’s greatest democracy.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center joins with all Americans in shedding tears for the families of the 19 innocent school childrenand 2 adults who were shot to death by a deranged murderer. … pic.twitter.com/lnJWFg8kI4
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) May 25, 2022
https://twitter.com/simonwiesenthal/status/1529298398980870146?s=20&t=Z1Ujp6vnS0heZ6we46odBg
B’nai Brith International President Seth J. Riklin and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin called for “sensible gun reform measures” in response to the shooting. “We would like to think we can never become numb to this madness,” they said in a statement. “Yet it seems our country is paralyzed by an irrational fear of taking action to stop this plague. But what about the fear now growing in more and more of our citizens: fear of going to school, of attending services at a house of worship, fear of stepping into a grocery store or a movie theater.
“Our hearts ache for the victims and the families of this massacre. And for all of those who have been touched by gun violence.”
The American Jewish Congress urged Congress to “take immediate action to ensure that our children’s education institutions are adequately equipped to ensure their safety” as well as “measures to afford law enforcement the resources and reach to prevent these heinous crimes are critical” in a statement. They added that “Social Media must bear accountability for the power it holds.” “While we don’t know that Social Media played a role in today’s event as of yet – we do know that it has been a large source of inspiration in the past,” the statement read. “With the horrific events in Buffalo having just transpired, we have seen the damning effect that harmful content can bring to like-minded users. Dangerous media wields power to inspire those who go on to perpetrate terrorist acts of their own, and the need for moderation has never been higher.”
The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV)––an Orthodox rabbinical group that, according to their website, lobbies “for classical Jewish ideas and standards in matters of American public policy”––argued in a Twitter thread that the shooting is symptomatic “of a far deeper societal problem.” “Long before he reached the point of deadly violence, Salvador Ramos was ‘bullied hard’ for his speech impediment, and no one stood for him,” the CJV wrote. “His one good friend moved away and he had no one. And then he cut himself ‘for fun’ all over his own face. People used to reach out to each other, care, and listen. People didn’t need to pay therapists to listen to them, because they had friends, and family. Today kids are bullied into suicide and no one responds.” They added that “faith and family” are also important toward helping those facing “great challenges and acknowledged that there are no easy answers to this societal problem. However, the CJV argued that “if we lift up those who are sad, give them friendship & hope, we might save their lives. And might even save many more. And we will surely, together, bring American society back from a sad state where this sort of tragedy is all too common.”
In the wake of the indescribable tragedy, a massacre of children in Uvalde, Texas, some are rushing forward with pat answers that they believe will fix what is, at most, a symptom of a far deeper societal problem. 1/
— Coalition for Jewish Values (@cjvalues) May 25, 2022
Long before he reached the point of deadly violence, Salvador Ramos was "bullied hard" for his speech impediment, and no one stood for him. His one good friend moved away and he had no one. And then he cut himself "for fun" all over his own face. 2/
— Coalition for Jewish Values (@cjvalues) May 25, 2022
People used to reach out to each other, care, and listen. People didn't need to pay therapists to listen to them, because they had friends, and family. Today kids are bullied into suicide and no one responds. 3/
— Coalition for Jewish Values (@cjvalues) May 25, 2022
Most of all, people had faith, and family. If you know someone greater than you is watching and judging you, it is a motivator to do better. And if you have a family supporting you, this, too, helps with great challenges. 4/
— Coalition for Jewish Values (@cjvalues) May 25, 2022
There are no pat answers or easy solutions. But we must work to come back together as a society of interdependent people who build each other up, rather than name-calling, bullying & dragging them down. [It is not as if adults on Twitter behave better than Ramos' schoolmates.] 5/
— Coalition for Jewish Values (@cjvalues) May 25, 2022
StandWithUs CEO and Co-Founder Roz Rothstein tweeted that the shooting was “beyond tragic.” “Sending love and prayers for strength and comfort– to the families, friends and communities of the 19 children and two teachers who were murdered in this horrific shooting,” she wrote.
Beyond tragic. Sending love and prayers for strength and comfort– to the families, friends and communities of the 19 children and two teachers who were murdered in this horrific shooting. 💔 pic.twitter.com/eBWHMOxFsY
— Roz Rothstein (@RozRothstein) May 25, 2022
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