Dear Future President,

         While waiting for the public bus at a stop near a park in the back of my middle school, my classmates and I were shocked with what we had found, a gun was hidden behind the bushes. We were nervous and shocked how such a deadly weapon can be so near a school. I was amazed on the weight of the gun, I had never been near one before therefore it was surprising that it was quite heavy. The weapon was a mystery to us, it had a story and I was curious yet afraid to know about it. The second amendment of the US constitution gives protection to the right of owning a gun. For many people across the country it gives them the feeling of safety and protection, but how can a weapon that has taken so many lives provide safety. Between 1999 and 2013 a total of 464,033 people died by a firearm, many were innocent people who could have been saved. 200 Americans go to the emergency rooms every day with gunshot wounds. The horrible truth is that within this year there has been already 43,713 gun incidents and only 1,350 were for defensive use. Guns cause more harm than protection, therefore, the US government should increase their Gun control.

         When I was in Elementary school our class was coming back from a field trip, suddenly our teacher got a call, our school was on lockdown because there had been nearby shootings and it wasn’t safe to go to school. It is traumatizing feeling as if you aren’t safe at the place where you receive your education. My Community isn’t the only who has a lack of safety due to guns, many mass shootings have occurred in the United States these past years. The Orlando nightclub shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on June 12, 2016, it was recent but it is an example of the bad that guns can do. 49 people were killed that night and the only reason they were attacked was because they were homosexuals, when I found out about this even I was scared, as a Bisexual teenager, it led to fear of expressing myself to the world as who I am in the fear that I will be shot for it. The US believes that we are all equal but they allow people to receive murderous weapons to execute those who seem different to society.

         Gun control should not only be enforced to protect my community and the rest of society from violence but also protect those who are mentally ill, Lives were lost through battle, not the battle of the war, or the battle of violence in a community, but the battle within themselves. It is estimated that 60% of gun deaths are by suicide. There are many people that contemplate suicide at some point in their live and people do commit suicide others receive help, Through gun control, people can have a higher chance of preventing suicide from depression and suicidal thoughts. As a girl who has recently from suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts, I believe people need to have more time to understand that they can have a second chance at life, as I got mine and it gave me the effect of appreciating live even more and everything it has and many people deserve to have that feeling, but I do believe society can improve and one way is to diminish the use of guns, to allow people to have a second chance as I got mine.

         The government and the people can cooperate to improve safety and protection, allowing students from elementary schools to feel safe at while they learn, as well as allow middle school students to feel safe and distanced from weapons nearby school. Most importantly to allow students like myself to go to school and everywhere publicly feeling safe from weapons that can harm us. Allowing Americans to be who they choose to be, Having the right to life, living with liberty and have the right to pursue happiness within their lives.

Sincerely,

Joselyn