In her most recent article on school shootings, today's guest Laura Finley wrote: "I never thought this would be my life's work. But writing and speaking about the connections between domestic and dating violence and mass shootings has become an absurd and sickeningly frequent part of my life. Here we go, again.
"The massacre at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, just 20 minutes from where I live, is yet another horrific reminder of the United States' failure to do right by our children. We legally compel them to go to school but can't seem to keep them safe when they are there. Although addressing guns, mental health, and school security is vital, one thiing I haven't seen being promoted is the importance of teaching young people about dating violence and healthy relationships. Yet, as is so often the case, this school shooter had been abusive to his former girlfriend and to his mother, a huge red flag that more violence is to come"
Finley, in addition to teaching sociology and criminology at Barry University, is the author or co-author of seven books on various social justice topics. She regularly presents at conferences on issues of peace, human rights and social justice. She is also a community activist, serving with several non-profits to provide services to victims of domestic violence and essential human rights. She is currently focusing much of her work on peace education in colleges and universities. She serves on the boards of No More Tears, the Peace and Justice Studies Association, UN Women East Florida Chapter, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, and the Humanity Project.
Most recent article by Finley: Stop Blaming Women and Girls for Men’s Violence Against Them (Counterpunch, May 25)
Other Counterpunch articles
Finley articles at Huffington Post
Some of the books by or co-authored by Finley:
Trumpism: The Politics of Gender in a Post-Propitious America (2018)
Violence in Popular Culture: American and Global Perspectives (2018)
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault in Popular Culture (2016)
Teaching Peace Through Popular Culture (2015)
School Violence: A Reference Handbook, 2nd Edition: A Reference Handbook (2014)
Grading the 44th President: A Report Card on Barack Obama's First Term as a Progressive Leader (2012)
Building a Peaceful Society: Creative Integration of Peace Education (2011)
Beyond Burning Bras: Feminist Activism for Everyone (2010)
The Torture and Prisoner Abuse Debate (2008)
- KBOO