SAVE YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS...

Nearly 20 years ago, we witnessed one of the worst mass shootings in US history at Columbine High School. Fast forward since then -- gunmen have stormed movie theatres, churches, nightclubs, schools. Innocent lives are lost. Debates on gun control surface. Media outlets provide wall-to-wall coverage. People offer thoughts and prayers. A few weeks later, we're back to square one. This latest shooting in Parkland, Florida is absolutely heart breaking (like all the previous ones). An expelled 19-year-old student having access to such a weapon is ridiculous! You can't buy alcohol at this age but you can buy a gun?

I grew up in India and Australia -- the threat of gun violence never even crossed my mind. If there was a mass shooting (like in Australia in 1996), the government stepped in and banned guns and took immediate action. Whether the United States bans guns or makes it tougher for people to get guns, something needs to be done, and urgently.

Just a few months ago, we saw the church shooting in Sutherland, Texas and the concert shooting in Las Vegas. Not too long ago, we saw the Orlando nightclub shooting and the church shooting in Charleston. Now is not the time to talk about political parties, mental health vs. terror, but a gun problem.

Here's what YOU can do now -- at the local level -- to make a change and push for legislation when it comes to who can have guns, or if we should even have guns, or pushing metal detectors in schools. Write to your local congressman instead of just posting "thoughts and prayers." Those are certainly needed, but policy change is what is going to save lives.