Constantly hearing the tragic news of shootings desensitizes people to things like death which should not be considered normal. It is time to change gun laws in America to reflect this.

To begin, the purchase of machine and automatic-style guns should be outlawed. In fact, the majority of Americans agree, with 64% supporting a ban on assault style weapons, according to the Pew Research Center.There is no reason self defense or hunting would require a gun capable of killing hundreds of people in minutes. According to Brittanica, these guns can shoot 500 to 1000 rounds per minute, proving that hand-operated reloading guns are the only ones that are safe.

To solve this, gun purchase needs to be more regulated. Someone who wants to own a gun should have to have thorough background checks that make sure customers haven’t been in prison, along with mental health checks to insure guns are going to the right consumers. Someone who has a history of doing dangerous things without thinking should not have access to something that could kill civilians.
Participants in the aforementioned Pew Research Center study agreed, with 88% supporting the restriction of gun purchase for mentally ill individuals. This shows that it is time for change in America.

While the right to bear arms is an amendment, that doesn’t mean that all types of weapons should be allowed. Just like how someone with no training wouldn’t be allowed to operate nuclear weapons, gun owners should be held to the same standard. 

The fact that school shootings happen whatsoever should be a wakeup call that our gun policies should be more strict. Many Americans are aware it is a growing problem – 58% think laws should be stricter compared to 52% in 2017 – and it is time for laws to reflect that.

The people who believe that it is a problem are right, and the issue runs deeper than many realize. Just hearing about shootings can negatively affect adolescents’ mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, “a study of more than 2,000 teens found that greater concern about school shootings and violence predicted increases in anxiety and panic six months later.”

Hearing about shootings that happen almost everyday is concerning. Students and staff shouldn’t have to worry about whether they will have to use their MacBooks as a defense mechanism or history books as a weapon; those in power need to make a change.