Dear Mr./Ms. Future President,

Do you remember Emma Valdez? Or Alberto Covarrubias? Or the other 5 people who were killed in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2006? I don't think you do, but I bet that their families do remember them because they were important to them. Their families now have to remember them as a person that once existed because someone decided to illegally get a gun and end their lives. Nowadays, people can get a gun really easily and that is dangerous to our society and community. One of my personal concerns is about gun violence and I want to address this issue by suggesting that you only allow police officers to have guns, no one else.

In the United States it is too easy for a wrong person to get a gun. Through the internet we have an easy access to buy guns. According to one source,“When private sellers don’t run background checks, people known to be dangerous can easily obtain guns, often with deadly consequences. For example, in 2012, a gunman killed three people, including his wife, and injured four others at a spa in Wisconsin, after buying a gun through a private seller he found online”.  In September, 2013 67,000 guns were listed online from a private seller. (Smart Gun Laws). This reveals that anyone could order a gun online and use it unwisely. If the United States would not allow people to have guns then these statistics would be different in a positive way because there would be less crime.

The United States should legally not allow people to own guns because it will reduce murders in the country. The United States rate of death/injuries will lower if the possession of guns were not allowed. According to BBC news, in 2015, 13,286 people were killed in the US by firearms and 26,819 people were injured. In 2015 there also were 64 school shootings, some of these shootings were committed by minors. Students should not worry about getting shot when they go to school. The only thing they should be thinking about is learning. These are the reasons that people in the USA should not be allowed to own guns. If the government prohibits the nation from having firearms, the rate of murders in this country will decrease.

Some people may argue that they have the right to have a gun because of the Second Amendment, it gives people the right to own a gun. However, the Second Amendment was passed in 1791. Our society now is different from the society in 1791. Nowadays we have police officers who can defend us in case something happens, and the majority of people do not hunt in order to get food. So there should not be any reason for a person to have a gun. 

In truth, people in the US should not be allowed to own guns besides the police. As a result, people will feel safer in terms of leaving their homes without fearing death. Usually, every time someone you love goes out, you immediately worry because you fear as if there is going to be someone who’s going to get a gun and shoot them. If guns are outlawed, everyone would feel/be safe and the rate of crimes in the country would decrease. Hopefully, Mr./Ms. Future President you’ll take my suggestion into consideration and make America a better and safer place to live.

Respectfully, Maria Rodriguez