10/27/16

Dear future president,

Our constitution was founded off the idea of freedom for all. Our second amendment is “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The Constitutional amendment is stating the right to bear arms as in firearms. Which many of us hold this right deer to our heart, without realizing the consequences. People at the age of 18, barely a legal adult are allowed to purchase shotguns and rifles. Though by the age of 21 you’re allowed to buy all other firearms, all thanks to our federal law. Safety is a huge issue within our country we need it for comfort and survival so why is it background checks for the purchasing of guns is so lightly enforced?

There are several ways to buy guns in the US. You can buy them from a licensed retail outlet, a gun show, online, and through a private sale. Background checks are only required if you purchase a gun through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), which includes retailers such as walmart and some individuals. You do not need to undergo a background check if you buy a gun online, through a gun show, or through some private sales. Meaning it is legal for people with backgrounds of assault or conviction to easily get there hands on a device made to kill. Even if we try to give guns new titles claiming it for our protection and safety.

People who are a danger to themselves and/or others because of mental illness should be prohibited from owning firearms. However, how do we tailor new policies to better protect the American public while at the same time avoiding the stigmatization of Americans with mental illness? Nevertheless this is needed and necessary for our future involving civilians safety to themselves and others. How loosely and easily people with unsafe backgrounds can purchase firearms is one of the main reason gun control background checks need to go from lightly enforced to highly enforced. It should not be easier to buy a gun then purchase alcohol or drive a car.

Only 14 states require a permit for a gun unlike how everywhere you need one to drive a car. Age is the only real restriction for buying a gun but even that’s easily avoided. In my ideal world guns would only be possessed by police and enforcers such as military. Where in our current country anyone who tries the slightest bit could get there hands on a firearm. We as the United States have 88.8 guns per 100 people, or about 270,000,000 guns, almost a gun per a person that’s insane, and straight up ridiculous. Gun control is a big issue for our safety and future, and I hope you the future president of the United States can understand how important this issue is and will do your best to restrict the amount of fire arms freely flowing through our country.

Alpers, Philip. "Guns in the United States - Firearms, Gun Law and Gun Control." Guns in the United States - Firearms, Gun Law and Gun Control. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.

NRA-ILA. "NRA-ILA | Gun Laws." NRA-ILA. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.

Eaton, Joshua. "7 Reasons It’s So Easy to Buy a Gun in the U.S." Teen Vogue. N.p., 20 June 2016. Web. 28 Oct. 2016.