Here's the thing.

I am currently studying abroad and I should be writing an article about my experiences thus far. I should be writing an article about my new class schedule, or adjusting to living with a host family, or travel tips, but I'm not. Instead, I'm writing an article about the lack of gun control laws in the United States and the reason for that is because the U.S, yet again, has suffered yet another mass shooting.

I wasn't originally planning on writing an article about this because I quite honestly am not interested in looking up facts and statistics on why gun ownership should be more regulated in the United States. I should not have to explain with hard evidence why "guns are dangerous" and why "guns kill people" because yes, I am very well aware of the fact that a single gun sitting on a table cannot kill a person, as the old "guns don't kill people, people kill people" argument goes. But that begs the question, wouldn't everyone just be a hell of a lot safer if there was no gun on the table in the first place?

I realize that many people in more rural areas use guns to go hunting, they use them for sport, but in order to hunt, a person, typically, requires a hunting license. (In fact, in order to legally fish in public lakes you need a fishing license and I guarantee a gun can do a lot more damage than a fishing pole.) These licenses are there for protection, to ensure that those who have guns are not going to use them to harm other people (and while, yes, I personally do not condone the hunting and killing of animals, I understand its cultural significance in certain parts of the country and that some people rely on hunting so that they can feed their families).

But the fact still remains that those who are granted permission to carry guns: hunters, police officers and those who feel safer carrying a small handgun with them if their commute is potentially dangerous to name a few, they are issued legal licenses and are therefore given the responsibility to carry.

For the purpose of this article, I'm not going to dive into the issue of racist cops shooting innocent people of color because that's a whole other issue that must be addressed and fixed, but for now, because the majority of police officers are on the side of the law and not blinded by hate, with that license, they are expected to be able to have the mental capacity and stability to know when a situation is truly a matter of life or death. They are expected to be responsible for their actions if and when they decide to fire their gun.

Those who cannot see properly are not issued drivers licenses because they would be a hazard to themselves and others, so why in 2017 are we issuing firearms licenses to those who would clearly become a safety hazard to themselves and those around them should they choose to open fire?

"But mental health is relative, some people just snap!" is an argument that I hear far too often and to that I say, "So ban all guns - or at the very least make it illegal for civilians to be able to purchase military assault rifles."

"But criminals will still find a way to get guns!"

**Ahem**

I know I said I wasn't going to bring up statistics, but this just boiled it down all so nicely. And again, yes, I am aware that this statistic is specific to handguns, not assault rifles, but I'll redirect you to the paragraphs above and you can find my statement on that subject.

I know this article has been a bit jumbled and maybe a bit angry or controversial, but I do not care. I'm not delusional enough to think that this article alone is going to spark up a revolution and suddenly all guns will be banned in the United States and everything will be all sunshine and rainbows, but after 59 people were killed and over 500 more were injured at a music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, all because someone who should never have been given a firearm was able to unleash absolute hell on an innocent group of people.

What's worse, is this isn't even near the first time the United States has faced a tragedy like this;

Thoughts and prayers are wonderful, but they are not a substitute for action. Simply thinking and praying will not incite change and as cliché as it may be, Mahatma Gandhi told us to, "be the change you want to see in the world," so I guess this is me trying to be that change.