(Newswire.net — June 23, 2016) — A mother took a snapshot of what she thought was her daughter playing. Her 3 year-old daughter was standing on a toilet seat, keeping still and quiet. Stancey Feeley thought her daughter was goofing around and wanted to share the moment with her husband by sending him a photo.
She then realized the horrible truth when her daughter explained what she was doing and posted the photo on her Facebook page with a message that lit up on the social network community.
The toddler was practicing an emergency lock-down in case a gunman appeared in her kindergarten, just as teachers instructed her to do. Instructing children how to protect themselves is okay, but teaching toddlers how to hide from a gun wielding maniac is a message that speaks about the messy frantic society we live in.
Mrs Feeley wrote a message that went viral, receiving more than 9,000 likes, and more tha 16,000 shares. The reaction to the post is a message in itself and an appeal to lawmakers that it is about time they introduce a gun control bill.
“They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats,” Mrs Feeley wrote in the post. “I do not know what will be harder for them? Trying to remain quiet for an extended amount of time or trying to keep their balance without letting a foot slip below the stall door?”
The fact that we need to teach our preschool children how to hide in a toilet in public places in case of a terrorist attack or a deranged person shooting a gun, speaks about the society we live in. The question is should we adapt to the fact that we face a clear and present danger, or can we do something to change our society?
According to Mrs Feeley, politicians have the power to end fear and create a better environment for children to grow up in in the US.
“Politicians – take a look. This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren and future generations to come,” she wrote. “They will live their lives and grow up in this world based on your decisions. They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of the toilet seat.”
A cry from a mother trying to raise her child in a world full of violence, grabbed the attention of people that strongly believe greater gun control can do only good. The post has roughly 1,700 comments and counting, however, lawmakers remained silent.
“No one thinks gun control will be 100% crime control. But maybe, just maybe, it helps 1% or 2% or 50%? Who knows unless we try?” Stancey Feeley wrote in the post that, and although the post went viral, it is already fading away as ‘yesterday’s news.’