School Shootings

163. That’s how many school shootings have happened in 2023 alone. Since the Carry of Firearms For Self-Defense law passed, we have seen 1,072 school shootings over just two years. This number of school shootings equals the same as 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 combined. In past years, the law stated that people could not have a firearm in their possession without a license.

Both the U.K. and Australia passed a law that removed firearms from unlicensed civilians. Since then, there have been no mass shootings over 27 years in a row, but the U.S. has had 171 school shootings as of March 29, 2023. This is almost double the amount of days that have passed in 2023. By the time you read this, there will probably have been even more.

Most of these shootings are performed by teenagers using their parents’ hunting rifles or personal defense firearms. It should be the responsibility of the parents who purchased the firearm to make sure that their children do not have access to their guns.

One way to stop school shootings is to stop teenagers from buying assault rifles or any other firearm, for that matter. An activity like this should be illegal and impossible to do. 70% of school shooters are under the age of 18, using a gun bought off the internet or a gun belonging to their parents. Usually, there are no background checks, no ID or age confirmation required for the purchase of these firearms. Just credit card information (that probably wasn’t even theirs), a name and address, and there you have it: a teenager with a weapon built for mass murder and destruction.

The Second Amendment in 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.” This means that a citizen can possess a firearm to keep the state safe. But selling guns to dangerous people and irresponsible teenagers isn’t protecting the state. It’s doing quite the opposite.
To create change, drastic actions are required. Families have gone to the government pleading for the law to be brought back, saddened by the loss of their children, and still, nothing has changed. We need to fight for change. We need to do whatever it takes for our safety. No matter what, it must be done.

As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”