Growing up in America, I remember thinking I lived in the best country, that I was safe, and that my government would do anything and everything to protect me.
It didn’t take me long to see every flaw within our borders. While there are a million and one issues to talk about, gun violence is often in the news. Mass shootings seemed to die down during the pandemic, Yet, people dying at the end of a gun are still at a record high. Suicides and isolated shooting incidents took a significant part in it.
Being stuck in the house all day took a toll on a lot of people’s mental health. With schools closing, with the world closing, mass shootings were minimized. Now that the world is getting back to normal, mass shootings are making a comeback.
The U.S. Constitution provides a sense of direction for the various branches of government. The U.S. founding document provided for the protection of civil liberties, including freedom of speech and religion.
The Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the rights of the American people to keep and bear arms. The dates on which the founding documents were written are important to note.
Some of these documents came to be when the country was still under British rule when facing different issues. The Second Amendment gives a way for the people to stand up to the government. However, it’s now allowing the people to have the means to kill each other easily. The Bill of Rights put the people’s rights in place to protect them, but it is having a reverse effect.
Every time there is a shooting, somebody’s loved one is dying. That’s somebody’s child, sibling or partner. Too many shootings are happening and too many people are dying because nothing is being done.
It’s time for a change. While thoughts and prayers are constructive, they do not lead to change. Current gun control laws are not working correctly. Even if we can’t change the Constitution, we can still enact stricter gun laws. I firmly believe that gun violence will stop when the right kind of gun control begins.
