Editorial

Gun violence demands action

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Support stricter regulation on firearms

By this point, everyone is somewhat familiar with the debate surrounding gun control in the U.S. After numerous mass shootings, emotions and tensions are running high. President Obama issued an executive order this month to help reduce gun violence and increase public safety.

There are many sides to the debate and many complications to consider when enacting any sort of legislation concerning guns. There are various interpretations of the Second Amendment, powerful lobbies that financially support politicians and impassioned survivors of gun violence.

Despite these differences, every sensible person agrees that the violence needs to end. According to the White House, “over the past decade in America, more than 100,000 people have been killed as a result of gun violence.” That is 10,000 people each year. This includes accidental deaths, suicides, homicides and other gun-related deaths.

We The Threefold Advocate believe that stricter laws must be enforced to keep the wrong people from getting access to firearms. Opponents of gun control may argue that more rules take away their ability to buy guns, but should it really be easy for someone to buy a weapon that could be used to kill someone? While it is our constitutional right to keep and bear arms, it does not mean there should not be a reasonable regulation of those weapons.

Some also argue that criminals will still obtain weapons illegally, even if there are stricter gun laws. However, recent events have shown that many mass shooters obtained their weapons legally, detailed in a New York Times’ story titled “How They Got Their Guns,” which covered the Umpqua Community College shooter, Charleston church shooter and Aurora theater shooter.

The executive actions from the White House also requires more money be spent on mental health initiatives and create hundreds of new jobs. The National Rifle Association also supports fixing the “broken mental health system.” There is common ground to be found in the midst of this debate, but it can be hard to find through the murk of misinformation about gun control, which is why we The Threefold Advocate urge everyone to be well informed about this critical topic.

Misinformation about gun control and legislation is extremely detrimental to creating positive change in our society. While it is easy to share an infographic, quote or article on social media, we encourage you to make sure that the information you are sharing is accurate.

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