Reinharz Unfiltered – Logos Spark Protests, Shootings Spark Silence

Those words from Secret Holt, whose daughter Bailey was murdered in the 2018 Marshall County High School shooting, should stop everyone in their tracks. Holt lives with the consequences of inaction every single day. Her daughter never came home. Yet she is still fighting, reminding us that misplaced outrage changes nothing, while focused outrage can change everything.

We have all seen what outrage can do. Social media can dismantle a brand overnight because of a logo, an ad, or a thoughtless remark. Boycotts have been launched, billion-dollar companies forced to issue apologies, entire cultural debates ignited over symbols and slogans. Outrage moves markets and shifts public opinion in days. If that kind of energy were applied to protecting children in schools, America would look very different right now.

Instead, the cycle repeats. Another shooting occurs. The headlines pour in. Families grieve. Communities ask how this can happen again. Politicians hold press conferences. Then the story fades, the cameras move on, and the outrage dissipates. Nothing changes, until the next time.

The harsh truth is that the solutions are already here. Firearm detection, AI-enabled alerts, autonomous monitoring, and rapid response technologies are available. Bailey’s Promise is an initiative that removes the single greatest barrier schools face: cost. Schools across the country can access advanced firearm detection technology at no charge. The only step required is the will to adopt it.

So why the hesitation? Why hesitate when parents – the constituents of the schools all want it? I blame this solely on bureaucracy in education and the age-old feeling of ‘it’ll never happen at my school’ attitudes. Parents, educators, community leaders, and investors need to be as vocal about protecting kids as they are about the latest trending controversy.

For investors, this is not just a moral imperative, it is also a moment of foresight. The market for AI-powered safety solutions is growing rapidly. As adoption accelerates, companies delivering real solutions will see the returns. Investing in a company that can both protect lives and capture a growing market is not just good ethics, it is smart business. Those who recognize this early will benefit the most.

For journalists, there is a story here that has been overlooked for too long. A mother who lost her child is pleading for outrage to be directed at something that matters. Schools are reaching out. Technology is ready. Lives can be saved. The narrative is not about whether these solutions exist, it is about whether society will finally summon the outrage to demand them.

And for the broader public, the challenge is simple. We all have a limited supply of attention and emotion. We can spend it on controversies over logos and slogans, or we can direct it toward stopping the next shooting before it happens. Which choice will history remember us for?

Secret Holt is right. It makes no sense to watch outrage sweep across the country for issues of branding and symbolism while the safety of our children remains a recurring afterthought. At AITX and RAD, we feel a responsibility to direct that outrage toward saving lives. This is more than technology or business for us, it is a mission. Outrage has the power to change what companies do, what consumers buy, and what politicians say. We intend to harness that power to ensure schools and communities have access to the tools that can protect what matters most.

For how long will the ‘it won’t happen at my school’ attitude continue? Sadly, it seems for the foreseeable future. And that’s very, very sad. In the meantime, we will continue to work with interested schools and support Bailey’s Promise everywhere we can. It’s worthy of these efforts.