Vetspective: Uvalde exemplifies our adult-centric society – We must change it

I did an extreme act of courage this morning.

I put my 9 and 11 year old kids on the bus to go to school.

When this simple activity is situated within the context of the recent and horrific violence in Uvalde, Texas that resulted in the deaths of at least 21 people, including 19 children in the 4th grade, one can clearly see why sending kids to school has become an act of courage.

Indeed, given the consistent violence at schools across the United States, we can see that parents have been continuously engaged in extreme acts of courage – today, tomorrow, next week, and beyond.

But is it about us – the adults?

The courage I speak of is actually carried out by our kids.

Why?

Because they live in an adult-centric society.

At first blush, this would appear to be obvious. Adults work; they pay the bills; they run organizations that make our society go. Why should it not be an adult-centric society? This is the mentality that permeates every aspect of our society, culture, and the way it is organized.

COVID: Adults get their vaccines first.

Education: Adults get back to work first.

School shootings: Adults get their rights and security first.

And the list goes on…

The policies, practices, procedures, and norms of our society favor adults over children. What this does is transfer the risk from the adults to our children – from COVID, to education, to security.

In fact, I am guilty of living “adult-centric.” I transferred risk to my children as I put them on the bus in the wake of Uvalde mass-casualty event. I walked them to the bus stop, watched them get on the bus, smiled and waved as the bus went off without knowing the risk to their security or risk mitigation measures underway at their school – in essence suggesting: “I hope it goes well at your ‘adult-centric’ school because I have to get on with my ‘adult-centric day.’”

I fear our children will continue to bear the brunt of an adult-centric society because they are not part of the political or policymaking process. Without children moving from the periphery to the focal point of our political system by adults, their voice will continue to go unheard and their needs will remain unmet by society.

So, what would a kid-centric, “next gen” society look like?

It would start with the basic premise that the best way to secure our “adult future” is to do so through our children. By focusing on the stability, education, welfare, and opportunities for our children, adults will rapidly recognize the value back to them.

Our country and society would be more prosperous and more harmonious because we will be more focused on the future rather than the moment or even the past.

Our moral compass would be renewed because we will be focused on those who are among the most vulnerable rather than among the least.

And our future would be more secure because we will be supporting those with the longer productive future rather than the shorter.

Above all, a “next gen” centric society that puts our youth first in politics, policy, economics, and beyond will make our society more just. Indeed, I believe a focus on kids would actually translate into a focus on the most vulnerable across all of society.

This is the type of country I want to be part of.

And I know it’s the kind of country the children of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas would have wanted to be part of.

Sadly, they were not.


Alex Gallo is the author of “Vetspective,” a RallyPoint series that discusses national security, foreign policy, politics, and society. Alex also is a visiting fellow with George Mason University’s National Security Institute, an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University, and a US Army Veteran. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexGalloCMP.