by Grace Schlimpert
School shootings are on the rise, there have been 154 school shootings in 2018 alone. These shootings have only fed the fire fueling the debate on gun control.
There are two sides to this debate, those who support gun control, and those who are against it. I believe they’re both wrong. Of course we need gun control to keep people with criminal records or a previously diagnosed mental illness from getting a firearm, but nobody can be 100% sure that everyone who buys a gun won’t use it for murder.
We, as Americans, have the right to bear arms. We have the second amendment to thank for that, but instead of arguing and fighting about our opinions, we need to work together to protect all Americans. The government cannot read minds, so they will never be absolutely certain what a gun will be used for, whether it’s used for hunting, target practice, self defense, or killing a fellow human.
The gun bought by Nikolas Cruz, used in the Parkland shooting, was bought legally, but previously, authorities had ignored red flags. According to National Public Radio, in 2008 when Cruz was 10 years old, his adoptive mother made the first of many calls to the police to help control her son. As the years continued, Cruz’s mother’s reports were being thrown against a wall because she took away his Xbox, and that Cruz shot a chicken
with a B.B. gun. With these in mind, why didn’t the police do anything other than inform the school resource officer that Cruz might shoot up the school?
This, in my opinion, proves that our efforts can be used to help the mentally disabled and keep them from getting their hands on a gun. If families and friends reported signs of mental illness and sought help for the ill person, we would have less to worry about. By seeking counseling or medical help, they might not have the urge to do these terrible things, such as shooting innocent children.
This is not me saying that the mentally ill are exempt from receiving punishments for the things they have done. No matter whether or not they’re ill, somewhere in their mind they know what they’re doing and that it’s wrong. But I do believe there is more to do before they feel the need to hurt themselves or others.
Of course it is also a gun problem. Stolen guns are used for crime every day. To buy a gun in Indiana, you must be 18 years of age or older, present a state ID, and submit to an instant background check. The background check includes checking for previously diagnosed mental illness. I believe that along with the previously listed requirements, the buyer should be required to have proper training and a safe before they have access to the firearm.
Current gun laws aren’t the problem, nor is mental illness, the issue starts when the person with the illness or the people around them don’t seek help.