The public and even the government response follows the same pattern every time there is a mass shooting.

There’s an uproar of prayers and condolences, debates about whether or not gun control should be implemented, and then there is nothing but silence until the next mass shooting occurs. Nothing ever changes, and we constantly find ourselves following a well-worn pattern.

Apparently, there have been 18 school shootings just this year, but whether or not that number is fabricated or not shouldn't matter. Even one mass shooting is one too many. We should not be desensitized to these types of things. We shouldn't be unsurprised by these types of tragedies. But we are.

The question that everyone should be asking themselves is this: how can we prevent these things from happening again? The answer is quite clear, yet there is such a highly controversial debate about it. It is gun control. It baffles me that people are more concerned about their guns being taken anyway than they are saving lives.

Depression, anxiety, bullying ... all of those things are global issues. But guess what isn't? Mass shootings. The United States is the only country in the world that has extensive and multiple mass shootings a year. The one thing that all of those countries without mass shootings have that the United States doesn't is gun control. That should really be telling you everything you need to know.

Countries like Australia and Canada only experienced one school shooting before they implemented gun control. The United States has had thousands, and nothing has changed.

What most people don't understand is that people who want more gun control are not lobbying for guns to be banned altogether. Gun control simply means that people would need to go through more severe background checks, mental stability testing, training, etc. before they are able to purchase a gun.

Nikolas Cruz, who is responsible for the shooting in Parkland, Florida, was documented as having mental health issues and aggression issues. The FBI was even alerted to him and his issues, yet he was legally allowed to purchase an AK-15.

The purpose of gun control isn't to take away everyone's guns. No one cares about the handguns or the rifles people use for hunting. People are concerned about the fact that the average person has access to rapid-fire assault weaponry, most of which is modeled after guns used in the military. No average person needs to have those types of guns ... even for reasons such as "protection."

Nothing annoys me more than people who say "guns don't kill people, people kill people" or "drugs are illegal, yet people still get their hands on drugs." Yes, someone who has the idea to hurt someone is going to find a way to do so.

However, if someone went a killing spree with a knife, the damage would be significantly less than someone who had a gun. Yes, someone has to pull the trigger in order for a gun to be harmful. But the problem is that someone has the opportunity to pull that trigger.

And as for the idea that people will still find guns regardless of laws, you're basically saying that there shouldn't be laws at all. If guns were illegal, it would make it more difficult for people to get guns, which could deter them from committing a crime.

Prayers and your condolences can only go so far. Action needs to be taken. How many people have to die before the government does something? How much is enough? The answer to those questions is that the first death should have been enough to spark change.