If you are reading this, I hope that you read this all the way through and instead of arguing with each other, we can focus on finding common ground to help save lives and pay respect to those who have lost theirs. This is obviously a political stance I have, but it comes from a place of sadness and wanting to make a change to save lives. I am not trying to start an argument. Rather, I'm stating my opinion on the subject.

After the tragic Florida shooting, my heart was broken. I didn’t know how to handle my emotions and felt a sense of helplessness (which I have felt time and time again regarding mass shootings) which led me to do research on our gun laws and how they were established and are currently used.

First and foremost, the phrase “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” is flawed. Yes, people do kill people, but so do guns, knives and modern weapons. The thing that is different between guns and knives is that guns enable a person to kill others in large amounts, efficiently, quickly, and often from a distance. I highly doubt the founding fathers thought about the implications of guns in the 1700s when they wrote and agreed on the Second Amendment. How easily accessible guns have become makes the idea of killing easily accessible in return. People do kill people and guns make killing easier.

Here are some statistics I got from Every Town For Gun Safety.

We lack gun control.

Now please do not misinterpret my argument. No, I am not saying we should ban guns altogether. That would be an obvious limit of certain freedoms that we as Americans have due to the Constitution. I am just arguing that our gun control laws must be revised. Until we stop and do something, more innocent people will die.

Obviously, this is not a single-analysis issue. There is a lot to consider behind every shooting and massacre. But, we must start with our gun laws.

This solution seems so obvious to me and it is heartbreaking to see more people die time and time again because of lack of action being taken from the higher positions of power.

I am also not saying to kill the phrase “we share our prayers and condolences.” Pray harder, exercise compassion more and fight for policy change. I am so tired and heartbroken from hearing about another mass shooting. Change is not only needed but inevitable or we will continue to lose innocent lives.

My heart is with those who have lost loved ones whether that be in the last week or the last decade.