Dear Future President,

In 2015, Alaska had the highest death by gunshot wound rate in the US. These deaths could all be easily stopped, if the government would take more control. A total of 26 states have extremely weak gun control laws, that don’t even require a basic background check. These are some of the most simple things that need to be required, because in too many states getting a gun is too easy, and this leads to more gun violence.

Naturally, with states that have weak gun control laws, they tend to have a higher rate of deaths by gunshot wounds. Of these states, Texas has one of the most troubling laws. In 2015, they enacted a dangerous law allowing concealed carry on a college campus and passed an open carry law for all public places. What makes matters worse it that in order to obtain a firearm, you don’t even have to get a background check. So someone with a previous record of violence or somebody who just got out of jail, could walk to a gun store and buy one without any problems. Does anybody else not see these problems? They are basically allowing people to carry guns whenever they want, wherever they want. Does that make people feel safe? That they know that when they are just walking in the park that there’s a possibility that everyone around them is carrying a gun? It is one of the state’s powers to make their own laws, but the national government should be able to tell them that they should have stricter laws.

So why is this an extremely urgent topic to cover? Every year 31,537 people die from gun violence. The states do indeed have the power to make their own laws from the constitution but, with something as big and impactful as gun control, the national government should really help put at the very least some basic laws. Require background checks, implement “waiting periods” or times when the customer must wait before they get their firearm. Require the customer and the dealer to have a gun license.

Every day people die from gunshot wounds, and these things are way more preventable then they seem. All that has to be done is have a few more restrictions on buying a firearm. These are people’s lives at stake. Something should be done, and if the state government does not wish to change anything, make a nationwide law, do what can be done to make it harder to get a firearm other than just walking up to a cashier putting your money on the counter and pointing at the gun you want and getting it right there.

From,

John Alvarado