Gun reform is necessary in the United States because sadly gun violence is becoming more frequent each year. Every day in America, approximately 100 people are killed and 200 people are injured by a firearm. 

Why does it feel like we are living in a warzone when we are trying to live our lives? 

Did you know that guns are the leading cause of death for children in America? Studies show that America happens to have the most mass shootings compared to other countries. America should have the same gun protocols that these other countries have. 

Are you aware that someone can legally purchase a gun in Texas at 18? All you would have to do is show your identification, sign the paperwork, complete a background check, and you can officially purchase one. The process of getting a gun should not be that quick and easy, and they should do a deeper dive into someone’s life before giving them a gun. 

On May 24, 2022, 19 students and 2 teachers were tragically shot and killed at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The gunman was 18 years old and could easily access and purchase an assault rifle. That ultimately became a detriment to innocent lives who deserved to see a future ahead of them.

Why are school shootings happening so frequently here in America? Children’s lives are being put at risk because there is not an established gun protocol. According to The Washington Post, 2022 was the worst year of school shootings in history and 46 acts of gun violence took place during school hours surpassing the number of school shootings that happened in 2021, which was 42.

That said, going to school should not be a warzone for teachers and students. It should be a learning environment, where kids can get an education and teachers can educate their students peacefully, without living in fear every day Parents should not have to worry about the safety of their children when they drop them off at school in the morning, which is one of the important reasons why gun reform is necessary.  

Another tragic mass shooting that happened in 2022 took place in Buffalo, New York, approximately a week before the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. This shooting was racially motivated and claimed the lives of ten African Americans in a grocery store. According to The Washington Post, this terrorist attack was orchestrated by him five months prior to the tragedy.

People should go grocery shopping without fearing for their lives, especially those who are minorities in this country. After I learned about the massacre that happened in Buffalo, I feared for my own life, considering that I looked like the people he targeted. 

People should also feel free to go out in public without fearing that there is an active shooter and that they will be harmed or even killed by a single weapon. This country needs to value the lives of American citizens by putting gun reform laws into place and there also needs to be stable security everywhere.

Although the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution supports gun ownership, I feel that firearms are used outside of their purpose. It may be necessary to own a gun in some cases, however, I feel that there has to be some type of certification before purchasing and owning one. Doing background checks does not seem to be that effective, because gun violence is relatively high in America compared to other countries. 

Speaking of U.S. gun laws, how does it compare to other countries? According to PBS:

In Israel, people must use guns every day only because they are members of the military force. If you are an 18-year-old resident, you’re most likely to be drafted into the force, have a psychological screening, and you would have to be well-trained with firearms after high school. 

I believe that there should be changes to the second amendment proposing that guns should strictly be used for military purposes and security.

Some people may dispute that guns make them feel safe; however, the United States has the biggest homicide rate by firearm, which indicates that guns are not the tools for safety. According to Pew Research Center, it says that:

“More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record, according to recently published statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” (CDC). 

Studies indicate that suicides are primarily caused by guns rather than homicide. If gun reform took place, imagine how the suicide rate would go down, considering that guns are the primary weapons they use to kill themselves. The CDC says:

“The firearm suicide rate was higher than the firearm homicide rate in 2020 and remained consistent with recent years overall.”

Furthermore, gun homicides were affecting people of all ethnic groups; however, most of them were Black and Hispanic. According to The New York Times, Black people experienced the highest gun homicide rates in every age group. Sadly, this occurs among those that are aged between 10 to 24.

Why are Black and Hispanic Americans the main victims of gun violence? According to CAP, it says:

“Notably, gun violence has a disproportionate impact on racial and ethnic minorities and is highly concentrated in a relatively small number of neighborhoods that have historically been under-resourced and racially segregated. This is due to a combination of weak gun laws; systemic racial inequities, including unequal access to safe housing and adequate educational and employment opportunities; and a history of disinvestment in public infrastructure and services in the communities of color most affected by gun violence” (Edmund). 

That is another reason why gun reform is necessary because it is disproportionately affecting and killing Black and Brown people. 

Overall, the reason why gun reform is necessary is that children should safely get an education; people should freely go out in public, and gun violence is affecting minorities in this country.

I feel that this country should have stricter gun laws, and there need to be some changes made to the second amendment. Some would argue that guns make them feel safer, but the statistics prove that America has the most deaths by guns compared to other countries. 

It makes no sense that other countries can establish stricter gun protocols, but we are not. Thoughts and prayers are not changing anything. Only policy and action will have to take place.

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Since this article was written, another mass casualty shooting occurred in Allen, Texas. Respectfully, the Talon would like to express condolences to those affected by this terrible tragedy. Here is a link to what happened in Texas.