Every individual in this country wants to feel safe and free to express who they are. It's unfortunate how people have come to accept modern-day- tragedies for what they are and move on. The victims (and in most cases, the shooters), have the most to lose- it's just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are many individuals and entities that have something to gain, however, from these tragedies. This past week was one of the darkest, most terrifying weeks in America. Starting with Gilroy, then El Paso, and now Daytona.

Many of the victims injured in El Paso had probably heard about Gilroy the day before, while many of the victims in Daytona probably heard about El Paso as well as Gilroy. Citizens have now become people who are afraid of going out in public and never returning home. People are losing their lives in schools, malls, stores, concerts, and several other places. How much longer can people keep asking for proper gun legislation while repeating the phrase "thoughts and prayers" every two weeks?

A widely held notion is that the issue is mental illness. The issue is not mental illness. The rest of the world suffers from mental illnesses as well. The problem isn't playing video games. The rest of the world also plays video games. The problem is the lack of gun control. The problem stems from organizations that profit off of the lack of gun legislation.

It's up to citizens to be educated on the topics that concern the safety of citizens.