Dear Mr. or Mrs. President,

Gun control is a problem that is rapidly sweeping the nation as a prominent issue. As you step into office, I would like to be able to feel safe. In order for me to feel this way, I’d like to ask you to address the issue of gun violence. Innocent people are frequently hurt by this dangerous weapon. However, many law-abiding citizens want to posses a gun in order to protect themselves. What is the right way to handle this problem? Many people believe the answer is simple; do not allow ordinary citizens to own guns. Others believe that this would be taking a basic right away from many law-abiding citizens. There was a study by Dr. Patricia Harris that concluded that on average, gun owners are better educated and have more prestigious jobs than non-owners. 

 In addition, many say that the people who own guns are not looking to abide by the law. They can access guns illegally or substitute guns with other equally dangerous weaponry. How would taking away the right to bear arms stop these people from hurting others? Some people say that it is not the gun that kills people, it is the people that are killing people. I believe that taking this statement and developing it a step further is an answer to the problem at hand. Who are the people behind the guns? Most, if not all the people behind these terrible acts are mentally challenged people. 

 Over the past couple decades, mental institutions have changed. Instead of a patient being welcome in the hospital until he or she is stable, the institutions only keep a patient for a specific amount of time (due to costs and insurance). These “no longer patients” are not capable of living on their own. This leads to many unhealthy people in very bad situations. I think that giving mentally unstable people the help that they need instead of denying it is the first step in the right direction to solve gun violence. 

Thank you for your time and concern,

Dahbra Erlbaum