Dear Madame/Mr. President:

I believe that a big dispute in our country is what to do about gun violence. According to gun control- ProCon, United States there is at least 88.8 guns per 100 people, or about 270,000,000 guns, which is the highest total and per capita number in the world. In my life I have thought about what could be done about gun violence, and I don’t think that gun control, the way it is described, is a good way to keep gun violence down. I believe that the best way to deal with this dilemma would be to increase mental health services. By focusing on mental health, people who are unstable enough to consider mass murder can be helped and mentally stable people who aren’t the ones committing these crimes can feel safe and protect themselves with their guns. For this reason I hope that you will consider addressing the root of the problem, mental health.

The United States has a long history of gun ownership intended by our founding fathers to protect ourselves from other citizens’ that may want to cause us bodily harm and from our own government if needed. The dangerous citizens gun opponents are most concerned about are those who commit mass murders. Because those who commit mass murders are not the average gun owners but rather they often are mentally unstable individuals who are crying out for help, an increase in spending for mental health is the best solution.

Consider many of the mass shootings that have occurred. The people that knew the shooter would sometimes tell authorities that they would have mental issues or breakdowns. For example, according to CNN, here in Colorado, James Holmes who “was seeing a psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenia” before he opened fire in a crowded theater, he pleaded not guilty by insanity to his parents. There was also a time when a man named Jared Loughner was known to freak his classmates out by randomly laughing at non events before he shot US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 6 others at a political rally in Arizona. These people need help, we don’t need to take away the second amendment from sane, law-abiding citizens, to slow down gun violence in the United States.

Taking away a time honored tradition of firearm ownership is not going to curb gun violence in our country. According to the NRA, “firearms secured our rights. now, let's help them sustain our rights.” Do you want to help save the lives of innocent citizens, many of them children from these mentally unstable people? Of course we do! However, we can maintain our personal and national security by allowing gun owners to keep their guns and making a priority a mentally healthy society with access to mental health care when needed.

Sincerely,

Robb