America has to admit that we have a problem: extreme gun violence that has killed over 10,000 people in 2024 alone. The main issue isn’t exactly guns. It’s the guns that are used — guns that were made for killing many people quickly.
Because of the accessibility of rifles, gun violence is a lot more common.
This means that children are involved with these shootings. It has come to the point that since 2018, over 200 schools have experienced gun violence. 2018 was only 6 years ago this means that each year had 33 school shootings on average.
On Wednesday, September 4, 14-year-old student Colin Gray took part in a mass school shooting that managed to kill 2 teachers and 2 students while injuring another 9 people. The fact that a 14-year-old can access an assault rifle highlights the issue with our gun regulations.
Two days later, on Friday, September 6, there was yet another school shooting at Joppatowne High School, where a 15-year-old student was shot and killed in the bathroom.
We say “Never again,” but year after year there are mass shootings that kill children in the places that should be havens of safety — schools. Children go to school scared that they won’t return home.
Since Columbine, a school shooting in 1999 that killed 12 students, a teacher, and injured 21 people, more than 383,000 students have experienced gun violence at school. These school shootings leaves thousands of kids with trauma and PTSD from the violence they face in their own schools.
These insane numbers aren’t normal. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the US is an “outlier” compared to other countries on their gun laws. Clearly, America is doing something wrong.
In Canada, for example, there are very few school shootings. Their laws only allow hunting guns and shotguns, and even then, they are required to carry a gun license. Australia and Puerto Rico are just some examples of the many countries that regulate or even ban guns.
Even though the Second Amendment gives the right to bear arms, it’s outdated. Back then, the guns available were flintlock muzzleloaders, guns only able to shoot 3–4 times a minute. The assault rifles used today are able to shoot multiple times in a second.
America needs to step it up and ban assault rifles. These guns that were originally created to kill on mass are not only easy to access, but also effective in their purpose. By banning these guns and reducing access to these weapons, we can save countless lives.
X | Nov 2, 2024 at 11:22 am
Your article suggests following Australia’s and Puerto Rico’s lead on gun control, but that approach doesn’t align with American values on freedom and constitutional rights. Australia’s restrictive policies and their COVID response reflect an authoritarian model that is not fit for America.
The term “assault rifle” lacks a clear definition, which opens the door to shifting restrictions based on political agendas. Instead of targeting guns alone, let’s focus on underlying issues like the mental health crisis and the potential links between easily accessible mood-altering drugs like SSRIs and aggressive behavior. These drugs have recently become prevalent in our society and we don’t yet understand their full side effects. At least one of the Columbine shooters was on SSRIs.
Additionally, a large share of gun violence stems from gang activity occuring in major cities, highlighting deeper societal issues. Grouping all shootings together distorts the picture. Addressing these root causes would be more effective in reducing violence.
America has more guns than people. Banning guns is not only foolish but unrealistic. Let’s focus on the root cause of the issue, rather than attempting to restrict everyone’s freedoms with blanket policies that will only punish law abiding citizens.