Statement from Benico Productions

We have a ritual here in the United States that we do every time there is a national tragedy. After every one, celebrities and newscasters and politicians will make a speech, wish "thoughts and prayers" for everyone who was affected, call for change, and then go back to normal, pretending like nothing ever happened. This happens every time. Be it a school shooting, a horrible natural disaster, an act of terrorism, or police brutality. Obviously, real change never happens.

It’s way past time to end gun violence in the US. The fact that so many people can lose their lives so quickly because of one person’s demented rage will never make sense–and God help us if it ever does. But it looks like we finally reached that point. We can’t even keep track of the number of mass shootings that have happened this month. How many should there be? 0.

Believe it or not, this isn’t even the first time we’ve had to publish something like this. We have a file with every one of these statements. But this time, it feels inadequate and even a bit wrong to talk about our own opinions. It’s not about us. Opinions don’t matter. The fact is, there is no reason why anyone in this country should be allowed to purchase and own a semi-automatic assault rifle. These are weapons designed specifically to kill people as fastly and efficiently as possible.

Multiple times every year, children are killed by these weapons. Children. And it could be you next. It could be your sister. Your brother. Your niece. Your nephew. Your parents. These mass shootings are happening so often now that lamenting them afterward has become a national ritual.

America, it’s time to grow up and figure this out.

-Benico Productions Staff