Ani DiFranco written and recorded “To the Teeth”, the title track of her 1999 album, as a mournful and angry indictment of American gun culture in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting massacre with took place on April 20th of that year.
“Open fire on the NRA
And all the lies they told us along the way
Open fire on each weapons manufacturer
While he’s giving head to some Republican senator”
DiFranco makes it clear that profiting from the gun’s lobby blood money is more important than human life to many politicians. Until human life is valued more than personal gain nothing is going to change. Thoughts and prayers just don’t cut it.
It’s been 19 years since that tragedy. In the wake of the increase of youth activists and the Never Again movement there finally seems hope that the endless cycle of mass shootings may finally be brought to an end.