I believe that gun violence in the United States has gotten out of hand. We have become used to seeing mass shootings in the news. When and how are we going to make this stop?

I grew up in Iowa with family members who live on a farm. They have guns. My dad got me a pink BB gun for my eighth birthday and I loved it. I asked to go out to the farm and shoot every day. After my brother and I outgrew the BB gun, we upgraded to a small .22 and that is where my want to shoot guns stopped. Now my brother and dad will go hunting or shoot at targets, but I no longer join in. Whenever we shot targets on the farm, my dad was always right there, but that might not be the case for everyone.

I’ve started thinking about solving gun violence in America and as I go through the options, I realize that if I had not grown up around guns, I wouldn’t know how to use them. Without being immersed in gun-safety while growing up, I don’t think that I would know how important it is.

Gun safety is crucial for everyone to know. I don’t care if you are never in the presence of one, it’s important to know because anything could happen. 

According to an article, “Firearms are the leading cause of death in America for children and teens.” The article also states that each month in America 53 women, on average, are shot to death by an intimate partner.

Although firearms are used to harm others way too often–considering it should never happen–I think they do play an important role in self defense. People–including law enforcement and military personnel–use these weapons every day to defend themselves and that is a very important task. Each year, guns are used over 80 times more in self defense than to take someone out according to American Gun Facts.

When you are learning how to drive, you have to put in a lot of time and practice. You have to pass a written test, take a month of driver’s education, and drive for ten hours with your parents. After you accomplish all of these things, you have to be 14 and a half years old to get a school permit and you must be 16 to get your first license. This rigorous process is necessary because cars can be very dangerous.

When you are behind the wheel of a car you are responsible for your life, your passengers’ lives, other people on the roads’ lives, and others’ property. The same is true when you are in possession of a gun.

Although guns can cause terrible damage, the process to get one is not as intense as driver’s ed. Yes, in order to own a gun you may have to take a class or take a test, but it is nothing like the two-year-long process it takes to drive a car.

Being in possession of a firearm holds a lot of responsibility and I hope that everyone understands this. Please be mindful when making decisions and take the time to educate yourself.