Dear Future President,

It is of paramount importance for the person who holds office next to install stricter gun control laws. It’s shocking but the amount of gun related deaths in the US is nearly the same as fatal car crashes. In 2014, there were over 8000 homicides, including mass shootings and the countless single deaths that don’t reach the news. This left 8000 families mourning for their loved ones that they will never see again, because a firearm reached someone who shouldn’t have had access to it. It is so easy to prevent this issue. Just look at Japan for example, the likelihood of somebody dying by a firearm is about the same chance of an American being struck by lighting. Japan had only 2 firearm related deaths in all of 2006 because they have extremely strict gun control laws. They aren’t allowed to own a handgun much less a rifle. The only guns that are allowed to be purchased are shotguns and air rifles.

Why do we have such a problem with keeping guns out of the wrong hands? America has 88.8 guns for every 100 people. Nearly a quarter of all Americans own at least one gun, so a large portion of people that you see walking down the street have a gun. Not only do we have so many guns, but we are allowed to own high capacity magazines which often change murder into mass murder. When high capacity magazines were used in mass shooting, the deaths rose 63% and the injury rate went up a shocking 156%! We have to pass and enforce much stricter laws about guns, and what people can and can’t purchase. Gun violence in the US is a huge problem and it is crucial that the next President makes much stricter laws regarding this subject.