Dear Mr. /Mrs. President,

I would like to address gun control in the United States, or should I say lack thereof. I believe we should be taking some queues from our European and Australian neighbors.

The gun policy in Australia is restrictive. Restrictive is giving someone limitations on their activities. In Australia they have to present a genuine reason for wanting a firearm. Self-defense is not considered a genuine reason. Australian gun laws prohibit the private sale of any firearm, and each weapon must be registered legally to their owners. Like Australia, Europe also requires anyone wishing to purchase a firearm have a genuine reason for doing so, and also considers its gun law to be restrictive.

The United States; however, considers its gun laws to be permissive. Permissive is giving someone great or excessive freedom of behavior. In the United States there is not only federal law, but state as well. In the U.S, authorities do not maintain a record of individual civilians permitted to acquire, possess, carry, sell, or transfer a firearm.

The total number of deaths resulting from firearms in the United States in the year 2014 was 33,599. The total number of deaths for both Australia and Europe had a combined total of only 13,430.

Based on the more permissive laws of the United States our number of deaths should be severely lower than Australia and Europe. I believe that we can do a much better job with gun control then we are. Those numbers are way too high. My suggestion is that we reinforce our background checks to where everyone who is trying to purchase a firearm must pass  background checks that go through their mental health background, criminal record, and domestic violence record. We also should have these every time someone tries to purchase a firearm. We should also have someone provide a genuine reason for purchasing a firearm. Thank you for time.

Sincerely,

Cassandra Szypulski