It’s 2021 and we still need gun control

Mass shootings have been occurring in the United states for over 100 years, and they’ve been increasingly more frequent every year. Many advocates for gun rights, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), claim that they are making steps towards progress, yet they seem to be more intent on protecting their Second Amendment rights than protecting lives. 

The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Essentially, Americans have a right to own and use guns. 

However, the Second Amendment only states a broad idea. Therefore, some specifics have been concocted; there are few federal gun laws, with the most recent having been passed in 1996. The quantity and severity of mass shootings has increased greatly since the late 90s, due to the creation of newer, more powerful weapons. There should be new laws created in accordance to these advancements. 

Even so, the majority of the laws are still extremely vague; many have a general rule that can easily be manipulated to fit a person’s will. Some requirements for possession of a gun are based on factors that cannot be evaluated without the honesty of the prospective buyer, such as drug addiction or mental stability. A person could easily lie about being of sound mind and be able to purchase a firearm. In fact, the majority of mass shootings in the United States occur with weapons that were legally purchased. 

On Nov. 30, 2021, there was a shooting at a high school in Oxford, Michigan. The shooter, a student, took the lives of four classmates, and injured six other peers and one teacher. School shootings had been on a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, yet this proves that school shootings are still very present in our current society.

In this case, there had been warning signs. The shooter had been caught looking for ammunition on his phone in class the day before the shooting. The boy claimed that it was because he was planning to go to a shooting range with his parents. 

School shootings have been increasing for years, yet there has not been much advancement in the recognition of warning signs and the regulation of firearms. A recurring claim of those advocating in favor of guns is that they are necessary for safety. However, if no one had firearms in the first place, there would be a lesser need to use them for protection.

Overall, guns can be easily acquired by people that should not be in possession of firearms, yet there has been little progression in an attempt to restrict the purchasing of guns. Many people seem to be more interested in protecting their right to firearms than protecting people, even children.