Dear Future President,

Even though I am currently just a high school student in California, I feel that gun control is a big issue in today’s society. I believe that it is a pretty big priority to increase gun control so that dangerous people, like those involved in the Columbine school shooting, cannot get their hands on firearms again. Some ideas I have are to have better background checks when someone purchase a firearm or make it so that everyone who buys a firearm must go through some sort of educational training.

At this moment, more Americans are being killed by guns than almost every war the United States has been involved in. Furthermore, a report by CDC in 2012 shows that there has been 11,078 gun-related deaths in the United States [link]. What is even more alarming is that the United States is ranked 4th compared to other 34 countries in homicides caused by a firearm. These facts coupled with all the recent mass shootings at schools and other public places makes gun control a huge issue.

Now, a lot of people don’t agree with gun control in multitude of ways. From saying that it is going against the 2nd Amendment or that firearms are a way to defend themselves from assault by other people. Although these are valid points of argument, gun owners who are responsible with their guns and don’t misuse their weapons won’t really be affected too much by gun control. The main focus of gun control isn’t to take away guns from those that are responsible with them. It’s to reduce the availability of firearms to anyone who has an intent on using firearms to bring harm to others. Most of these people with these harmful intents are those with a criminal record or those with mental illnesses.

In conclusion, I feel that gun control is an issue that should be taken seriously by everyone and should be addressed as soon as humanly possible. There will most likely be negativity from gun activist groups, but the deaths that gun control can prevent in the future will be worth the trouble. You, as a president, must keep firearms away from people with intent on using them harmfully on innocent lives. Especially people who have a mental illness or a criminal record. This will make the nation safer and, perhaps, you too.

Sincerely,

Hui Liang