Thoughts and prayers. Every time a mass shooting happens, people offer their thoughts and prayers. But for the thousands of victims and their families who suffer from gun violence every year, thoughts and prayers do little compared to real, effective action.

The massacre in Las Vegas was the largest mass shooting in recent U.S. history. The last largest mass shooting was less than 16 months ago, in Orlando.

This fact alone shows how frequently guns are used to carry out massive acts of violence. The issue has become so partisan that some politicians don't even want to entertain the idea of taking action after a mass shooting.

Many conservative pundits slammed Hillary Clinton for making this tweet calling out the NRA (National Rifle Association) as a contributor to gun violence. The general consensus was that Clinton was in the wrong for politicizing the national tragedy.

But shouldn't an issue like this keep being politicized? Isn't that how things change in this country, through political action by its citizens?

The government is always skeptical of changing gun laws in fear of second amendment advocates screaming about infringing on their rights, but there are several measures that politicians can take that are both popular with the public and are expert-approved for preventing gun deaths.

The graph above, as published by the New York Times, shows that the public and experts both heavily advocate for preventative measures such as background checks and expanded mental health treatment, both of which would provide no plausible argument for an infringement on any constitutional amendment.

Then there are the people who say gun control doesn't work. That's simply not true, the biggest example being Australia.

When a deadly mass shooting occurred in 1996, Australia introduced swift gun control measures in order to prevent something like that from ever happening again. And since then, more than 20 years later, Australia has not had a single mass shooting.

Homicides and suicides committed using guns have also drastically declined since the gun control laws have been enacted.

But of course, the United States and Australia are not the same countries, and the measures they took would seem extreme to us Americans. That being said, looking to Australia and other countries like the United Kingdom shows that gun control laws do work.

And some may say, "Well, that's not gonna end all gun violence, people are still gonna commit crimes."

To me, it doesn't matter.

If we could prevent just one mass shooting from happening because of a background check or mental health evaluation, wouldn't it be worth it?

If we don't take the most basic steps to curb gun violence, more and more people will senselessly die. I am only 19 years old, and I've lived through three instances where a mass shooting has been called the deadliest in recent history.

That is unacceptable.

Over time I have become more cynical about this issue, thinking that if politicians can let little children be slaughtered, like in Sandy Hook, without any action, then we may never change our ways. But after this election, when people are more politically engaged now more than ever, there might still be hope.

So call your representatives. Petition. Vote. Run for an office if you feel compelled. We have to finally take action while it's still fresh in our minds. I know by the time this article is published, people will have already stopped talking about Las Vegas.

Don't stop talking.

Don't stop fighting.

Don't stop remembering those who died because our government refuses to take action.

You don't have to save your thoughts and prayers.

Think, pray, and then take action yourself.