Guns are controversial. Having a gun, getting a gun, using a gun. No one can doubt though that they're causing a lot of problems in our country.

Gun Violence Archive reports that, so far, a total of 243 mass shootings have occurred as of September 3rd. The 234th was the most recent shooting in Jacksonville, FL at the Madden video game conference. 2017 had 346 mass shootings.

So with all of these shootings, how is the country reacting? Unfortunately, these news stories come out about a mass shooting and it's a shocker. But then after a few minutes, the conversation is over. Not with all shootings necessarily, but it seems like old news after a few days. Our country has become desensitized to gun violence in our country.

Why is it like this? It seems to be this way because it's so frequent. I mean you could hear about it and be so shocked and a minute later talk about a viral video or meme. It's seriously upsetting.

I shouldn't be one to talk. Truth be told a few nights ago with a few friends, we were sitting outside enjoying the cool weather when out of nowhere, we heard loud popping noises. We sat there and evaluated with each other, "was that gunfire?" My boyfriend says yes and my friends agreed with him. We sat and waited to see if it would go off again. Sure enough, it did. Farther out in the distance we heard it again. We looked at the news and news feeds for information and waited for sirens. But nothing happened. We all still aren't sure what it was but we had an idea. And yet, we didn't call anyone because we weren't sure exactly and we just decided to go inside because it was the safe option. The end. Isn't that horrible?

We all agreed how horrible it was how calm we remained. Is that because my friend and I experienced two or three shooting threats in high school? Or because we all lived in Orlando where the tragic Pulse massacre occurred? Or was it because it's become the norm?

It's absolutely horrible. My example was just a possible situation. But still, almost two weeks ago my younger brother's high school had a shooting at their football game. An adult not even associated with the school was shot in the parking lot and others were injured. Kids were trampling over each other and acquiring security from officers waiting outside the gates. Fortunately, he wasn't there, but my best friend's sibling was.

She is traumatized by this event and it will always be a memory of her high school experience. The high school has changed their safety precautions even more for their games and regular school routine. I called my brother while the shooting occurred and the next day and he was so nonchalant about the whole thing. That's not his fault. When Parkland happened he was a mess. When this occurred very recently, at his very own school, he seemed distraught but treated it as old news and a learning lesson for the school. Schools all over the state after the Parkland shooting have taken better cautions, but it's not ever enough.

Well, enough is enough. As a nation, I think we are all fed up with these mass shootings. We are so fed up to the point that now it happens and it's old news before it's done being breaking news. That is absolutely tragic. And it's not our faults that we have become desensitized, it's the irresponsible people who are causing and adding to these statistics. These irresponsible individuals who are accessing these weapons, that they shouldn't be able to have access to in the first place, are creating this attitude of carelessness for Americans.

Organizations such as Everytown educate citizens on gun awareness and are on a mission to end gun violence. "Gun violence touches every town in America" is stated on their website, thus giving them their name Everytown. This organization has a resource that lets you find candidates running in this upcoming election that stand for gun sense. "These gun sense candidates have pledged to vote on the side of gun safety if elected to office."

I'm not stating that America doesn't care about shootings or citizens don't deserve the right to own a gun under the proper circumstances. I'm not stating that. I'm saying, we as a nation care about gun violence in our country, but we need to show more that we care.

Guns are one of the hottest topics in this election due to the previously stated statistics of mass shootings. The number continues to grow and the nation continues to not be able to catch up with their emotions. Americans are horrified, for only a little bit. Other countries look at our country and worry. Parents look for other options for education besides a regular school like they had. News outlets report a shooting with an ordinary tone and change the topic to something not as serious.

Gun violence is growing every single day and we need to acknowledge it as a nation and give a damn about it for more than a few moments.

For more education on gun violence and awareness to gun violence, please check out the organizations Everytown, March For Our Lives, and Moms Demand Action.