Dear Future President,

A few years ago, my uncle was shot and killed by a hitman for no reason. This and many other firearm related incidents make me believe that guns are too easily accessible to people who mean harm, along with people who want to end themselves, especially in the United States of America. Guns kill more than 30 people each day in the U.S. alone, and in 2013, approximately 33,500 people were killed by a firearm, out of which about 32,000 were intentional! America needs to stop this unnecessary loss of life by creating stricter laws concerning gun control, and by providing help to those who need it.

This issue with firearm deaths affects hundreds of people who get killed weekly by guns, and all the people who decide to end their lives with guns, too. So many people get shot to death in the U.S. that a poll in 2015 showed that 40% of people knew someone who was fatally injured by a gun. One third of all gun deaths in the United States are homicides. ½ of the homicide victims are male. Acts of terrorism, women killed by firearms (usually due to domestic violence), mass shootings, police shootings, and accidental deaths account for the other half of murder victims. Although this category usually gets looked over while talking about gun deaths, suicides account for a whopping ⅔ of all firearm-related deaths each year. For example, in 2015, suicide by gun claimed over 22,000 lives, of which 85% were male, and over half were men 45 and older. Roughly 1 person commits suicide every 16 minutes, and suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in 25-34 year olds.

Although the tens of thousands of deaths by guns every year might seem overwhelming, we can stop them. America needs more sensible gun laws and stricter background checks to bring down the loss of life due to firearms. Like I stated earlier in this letter, it seems that it is too easy for people with bad intentions to get their hands on firearms and other lethal weapons. We could prevent this by having stricter background checks and more effective firearm laws. New laws would lead to better licensing and tracking system for weapons and smaller gun magazines, which would decrease gun deaths. California Proposition 63 took a big step toward a solution by banning large-capacity magazines and by enforcing background checks while buying ammunition. These measures would be an effective way of dramatically lowering mass shootings, acts of terrorism, and the selling of guns to bad people. Stricter background checks would also reduce suicide rates in America. Background checks on people’s medical histories would show if they had or have mental problems, and if they did, they would not be able to purchase a firearm. Studies show that 64% of all people who commit suicide go to a doctor about their problem within a month before they die. If we checked medical records before selling guns to people, we would be able to stop everyone who buys a gun just to commit suicide, maybe even all 64% of people who went to a doctor and wanted to die.

From babies to adults, so many lives are lost every day in the United States alone because of the firearms we are legally allowed to own, without proper restrictions, precautions, and punishments. It is imperative that we replace the old and ineffective gun laws we have with stronger and newer ones, such as Proposition 63, and also create accessible and effectual mental care and treatment for the people weighed down so heavily by their own emotions that they resort to ending their own lives. These are real humans’ lives that are being ended needlessly because our gun control laws are inadequate. This is why I want you, the future President, to be the one who fights this enemy that kills more Americans than breast cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukemia, and much more. Be the President who finally ends gun violence.

Sincerely,

Sayan