Action Must be Taken to Control Gun Use in the US

JAYMIE BIANCA ’21
STAFF WRITER
The second amendment explicitly states that “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. While this amendment of the Constitution has been well respected and revered for over two centuries, it has recently been criticized in light of shootings occurring in Newtown, Orlando and the most recent massacre in Las Vegas. The true question is: how many shootings will it take to ignite change? In my opinion, new laws and stipulations must be enacted in order to cease these horrible tragedies.
Therefore, as humanity progresses through a new era, we must understand that significant technological modifications have been made to guns. When the Founding Fathers wrote the 2nd amendment, guns fired one round per minute. Today, rifles have a cycle rate of 600+ rounds per minute. With these new advances, it is much easier to cause large amounts of damage, even to entire families and communities. If guns now fire more quickly and with more power, the vast devastation they cause is more immense.Therefore, as humanity progresses through a new era, we must understand that significant technological modifications have been made to guns. When the Founding Fathers wrote the 2nd amendment, guns fired one round per minute. Today, rifles have a cycle rate of 600+ rounds per minute. With these new advances, it is much easier to cause large amounts of damage, even to entire families and communities. If guns now fire more quickly and with more power, the vast devastation they cause is more immense.
If modern guns are the cause of horrific incidents throughout the country, the only answer is to place stricter requirements on obtaining a gun. Additionally, limiting how many guns an individual can purchase throughout their lifetime may be beneficial, since Stephen Paddock, the sole culprit behind the Las Vegas massacre, owned at least ten guns. With stricter laws, it is my hope that mass shootings will quickly end in America.
Even though these shootings did not happen at Trinity or in Hartford, it is still devastating for the entire Trinity community. How can we feel safe in a country where mass shootings are becoming more normal? For me, I personally knew two victims of the Las Vegas shooting. One was shot in the elbow, the other was formally in critical condition. Regardless of the distance between Hartford and Las Vegas, I still felt hurt and infuriated that my friends were affected by this tragedy. I may not be the only one, either. Other students at Trinity may have had a relative or someone they knew who was either murdered or severely injured by a mass shooting. No matter where the shooting takes place, it still shakes any community. When you think about the lives lost, some of which were just beginning a career, a marriage, a job; it only confirms that if a gun can ruin such precious souls, then why does one truly need to keep guns in their possession?
In conclusion, a new century is coupled with faster, powerful guns, and devastating, horrific shootings. Therefore, with a new century, it isn’t too late to start taking action. It is imperative that we fight to end gun violence, and place more restrictions on gun use in order to handle weapons used in the 21st century.