When my mom was growing up and Orlando came to mind, she thought of Mickey Mouse and Cinderella, not guns and terrorists. When New York was mentioned, the initial thought was of the Statue of Liberty and the Rockettes, not Osama Bin Laden. The Boston Marathon was just a race and Sandy Hook was just another elementary school.

It never crossed her mind back then that going to a crowded venue or night club could lead to a terroristic attack. In those days, people did not know the world as it is today. My mom constantly stresses to us that she wishes my siblings and I understood the way our country was before 9/11, where the United States truly was the land of the free. She grew up in a country where terrorism did not exist and people did not live in constant fear.

Today, we live in a country full of terror and tragedy, and in a way, our generation doesn’t know any better. For most of us, we are accustomed to the countless security checks in airports, or walking through metal detectors when attending a baseball game. School shootings are all too common and threats to our country are a regular occurrence.

We spend every day living in a guarded country, constantly suspicious of those around us. Does he have a gun? Does she look like a terrorist? May I check your bag, sir?

People who would have never dreamed of owning a gun are purchasing them solely for protection. But wouldn’t it be great to live in a place you feel secure? Where you could go to a busy city or run in a popular marathon or even attend school without the thought of an attack crossing your mind?

Wars used to be fought on a battlefield, but in today’s society, innocent citizens are being targeted.

I desire to know the everyday freedom and security that my mom once knew.

No more shootings.

No more attacks.

No more lives lost too soon.

For me, for my family, for my country.