A few days ago I heard my dad talking to his friend about how carefree his childhood was. When he was 10-years-old, he was able to ride his bike to his friend's house a mile away and play all night long. He didn't have to worry about anything bad happening to him and his parents were not in the slightest bit concerned that he would be hurt. My dad talks about this joyous time in his life as if it was a dream. In the world we live in today, my grandparents would be freaking out if my dad was riding his bike alone at the age of 10. So much has changed and while there are a million reasons why one stands out to me in particular. The matter of gun control.
Many years ago I understand why people wanted to own guns. A lot of men and women used to hunt their own food and shooting was almost considered a sport. Also, the second amendment is taken seriously by a lot of Americans. But with the most recent tragedy in Orlando, along with an estimated 185 other mass shootings in America in just 2016 alone, we cannot defend the second amendment while millions of people are dying because of it. No matter what your stance is on the matter of the right to bear arms, I think we can all agree that hunting and the physical act of shooting a gun are not strong enough reasons for the government to allow people to own guns today.
No longer can we sit around and condone the idea of allowing all people, no matter what disqualification they may have, owning guns. Too many people are being allowed to own guns who shouldn't even be allowed near one. The man who was responsible for all of the lives taken in Orlando was on the FBI watch list. How did he get a gun? The man responsible for all of the lives taken at UC Santa Barbara was having mental issues for a long time. How did he get a gun? How are all of these mentally disturbed people getting their hands on guns?
This is why people like me are scared. Those who lost their lives in the shooting in Orlando had no idea that a night at the club would result in terrorist attacks. I go to the mall, I go to a college with a very open campus, and I live in one of the busiest cities in the world. Why shouldn't I feel frightened? Why shouldn't my parents feel frightened?
All Americans need to realize that no day of hunting or a moment of pride after buying a gun is worth all of the lives that have been taken in our country. While it is much more difficult to control other acts of terrorism from other countries, we can start to control the amount of guns being sold and who they are being sold to in America. The selling of guns needs to be monitored with a much closer eye and the process needs to be much more selective. Of course, police officers need guns. Of course, men and women in the army need guns. But there is a difference between shooting for protection and shooting for fun. The government needs to draw this line and make changes to the system of buying a gun. I don't want to feel scared going to the mall, walking around on campus, or living in Los Angeles. I just want to be carefree like my dad was.
