You know what? Guns don't kill people. How could they, right? These are inanimate objects that cannot pick themselves up and massively shoot people just because. Guns don't pull their own triggers; people do. People are the ones who pick up guns, aim them at innocent people, and indiscriminately shoot them out of hate, bigotry, or sometimes, pure evil. You're right; guns don't kill people. But that does not mean that they are not dangerous.

I may not be American, and many people will say that I don't have a say on what should be done in this country, but guess what: I live here, I study here, I work here, and I pay taxes here, so I get to say WHATEVER I want to say about gun control. And my opinion on gun control is simple and can be summarized in three words: WE NEED IT. I had never seen a gun until I moved to the United States, and now I have seen enough guns to last a lifetime. From assault rifles to handguns, I have seen a variety of firearms being carried by Americans to an extent that dwells on paranoia; no one needs this much fire power. There are people who have over seven guns registered to their name, and some of these include not only handguns, but also shotguns and even assault rifles. If you're a hunter, I understand that you will have an assortment of firearms, but why in God's name would you need a freaking shotgun while living in the Upper West Side? Who do you need to protect yourself from? Your upstairs neighbor's bratty 12 year old?

I understand that this country was founded upon principles that have been part of American tradition since its independence from Britain in 1776, but just because a country was founded upon something that does not mean that these principles will always apply to the world we live in. In 1776, African Americans were still slaves. In 1776, women were basically nothing but decorative. In 1776, homosexuality was inconceivable. In 1776, guns were needed more than they are now. There are several laws and traditions that the American people hold very dear to their hearts, like freedom of speech and the right to bear arms (the First and Second Amendments, respectively). However, just because something is "tradition" does not mean it's still valid. Just because your ancestors believed and decided that they needed guns to go about with their daily lives does not mean that YOU, American human being living in the 21st Century, necessarily need to bear arms.

Lets talk about rights and laws. Rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, and basically laws are governmental regulations and obligations that allow people to exercise their rights without others interrupting these. According to the Second Amendment, Americans have a RIGHT to bear arms. The Second Amendment is one of the most important and sacred laws in America. Therefore, the Second Amendment protects Americans' right to bear arms and prevents entities, like the Senate, Congress, or House of Representatives, from revoking it. Actually, it doesn't prevent anyone from revoking Americans the right to bear arms because we're talking about the people that happen to MAKE THE LAWS of this country; they simply use this as an excuse to continue getting endorsements from the NRA (you know who you are), and maintaining unnecessary traditions, in my humble opinion.

I understand that people are afraid to let go of their traditions; change is scary. I understand that many people are afraid because of all the different tragedies going on around the world. Believe me when I tell you that it takes every ounce of strength I have to get up in the morning and go out to work knowing that someone out there might have a gun when they shouldn't be able to have access to one, and that this person might cross paths with me, and that I might just do the one thing that ticks them off, which could result in them shooting me and me dying at 19 years old. Don't you even think for one second that I'm not afraid. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to go and get a gun illegally to "protect myself"; that's just absolute crap.

Laws exist for a reason: to protect people's rights and the exercise of these. There's a reason why you have to meet a certain criteria to be able to buy a gun legally in the United States: because if EVERYONE was able to buy guns legally, then the safety of the general population would be threatened by the possession of guns by people who are unfit to bear them. Wait a second... If every American has a right to bear arms, wouldn't that mean that legally speaking there should be no government entity that regulates the certification and legal distribution and purchase of firearms? However, firearms are regulated by the government (in a poorly managed way), which means that bearing arms is not a right, but a privilege. You have to meet a certain (and lax) criteria in order to be authorized to get a gun legally in this country, which means that to this day, bearing arms is not a right in America, but actually a privilege. So to all those die hard conservatives who think they have the right to own over 15 firearms, I have news for you: you don't have a right to anything unless you are considered fit to bear arms in this country, so please just shut up about your non-existent rights.

To this day, we have had over 998 shootings in the US since the Sandy Hook massacre. Can you explain to me why we still can't have decent gun regulations, but I have to take out my ID and basically look like I'm about to die so I can buy some non-codeine cough medicine in this country? Can you explain to me how someone snuck into a meet and greet in Orlando and shot a 22 year old girl who had her arms open and was waiting for a hug? Can you explain to me how someone snuck into a club in Orlando and killed 49 people and injured over 50 others? Can you, please? No? Then can you answer one question for me: how would YOU feel if from all of those who have fallen victims of gun violence in the US, one of them was your child, parent, sibling, or loved one? How would you feel if you lost a friend because a deranged man who shouldn't have had a gun shot them? How would you feel if a man who was suspected of terrorism by the FBI got a gun LEGALLY and shot your child? How would you feel if you were inside your church praying and a racist prick came in and shot you because of your race/ethnicity? Do you still think we don't need gun control?

To all of those who have been affected by gun violence, I am so sorry for all the pain you have been through. I am sorry that you live in a country where the government and legislators care more about their endorsements and future campaigns than the lives of your loved ones whom they swore to protect. To all of those who believe we need gun control, always keep fighting. We need to make a change, and eventually all of these clowns will have to listen to us. And to all of those who still believe that the "beloved" tradition of having the right to bear arms should remain in the Constitution because "that's what America was founded on", read this:

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and Constitutions. But laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.”

Still not convinced? Still believe that the Founding Fathers wanted America to remain the way that it was first founded by them? Do you still believe you're right? Well guess what: this quote is by Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. If Jefferson accepted that laws HAVE to change as time goes by, and if he accepted the fact that America would evolve and its laws, the laws that he and the other Founding Fathers agreed upon, would change as years passed, then can you please tell me why the hell you can't let America change for the better? Do you want to "Make America Great Again"? How about we start with Making America Safe Again?