We look at Columbine, 13 dead. We look at Newtown, 26 dead. We look at Virginia Tech, 32 dead. And we look at San Bernardino, 14 dead. We then look at the common thread that unites these mass shooting tragedies: guns that were gifted into the hands of the wrong people. People with mental illnesses, severe depression, or psychopathic tendencies. Or people that have had known ties to violent terrorist organizations. So how did we, the people of the United States of America, allow these people to gain access to these violent weapons designed to kill? And how come we have not changed our policies to prevent these tragedies from happening again? How many people have to die before we make change? We constantly debate about the last mass shooting, but why don’t we instead start actually making change to prevent the next one, so then we do not have to debate about the “last one”. The solution is self-explanatory, simple even: create reform in gun laws.

According to the mass shooting tracker organization, which is a site used by CNN and the New York Times, our country has suffered through 282 mass shooting in 2016, which is more than any other country in the entire world. The second most has happened in Germany; there have been 6! Pathetic, I must say. The reason: according to the National Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, the United States has 88.8 guns per 100 people, or about 270,000,000 guns, which is the highest total and per capita number in the entire world.

How many more have to die. How many more have to suffer. Ashley Moser lived a normal life; she had a boyfriend, had a six-year old daughter who she loved dearly, and had just found out she was pregnant with her second child. Then, one man with one mental illness, with one assault rifle ruined all that in one movie theatre. James Holmes took everything Ashley had. He maliciously killed her daughter, he took away her ability to walk forever, and he took away her unborn child. Daniel Barden, a 6-year-old boy, had a great future ahead of him and so much more life to live. His family described him as a compassionate boy with an infectious smile that could brighten anyone’s day. But he never stood a chance against a semi-automatic rifle. His life was cut short by a clinically depressed man who decided to take his rage out on an elementary school.

Let’s make it simple to put it in perspective. Your team loses a baseball game by a wide margin. So then, for the next game your coach changes the strategy and learns from the team’s mistake, and maybe replicates what the other team did right to beat you. Why can’t the United States, the self-proclaimed greatest country in the world, replicate this mentality? Why haven’t we learned from our mistakes...our blunders, which have resulted in the loss of countless innocent lives? Why can’t we create change by imitating the gun laws in other countries? For example, Great Britain decided that after a horrific school massacre in 1996 that their laws on guns needed to change. So, guess what happened? They were smart. They changed their gun laws and implemented stricter policies. Great Britain now views gun ownership as a privilege, not a right. So if you are convicted of a criminal offense, you are also given a lifetime ban from owning a firearm. They also realized that certain firearms were unnecessary for an average civilian because, frankly, they are too powerful. With these laws, Great Britain now experiences one of the fewest amounts of mass shootings per year compared to any other place or country. Clearly, gun reform works.

Now, those who live by the conservative agenda will argue for their precious 2^nd amendment rights and state how we must follow the constitution. And I acknowledge that the constitution is the groundwork for this great country, but let’s also acknowledge that the constitution allowed slavery, allowed segregation, and allowed the denial of the right to vote if you were not a white male. My point is that the constitution is not perfect and is subject to change. I feel like people neglect the fact that there have been 27 amendments to this document. Congress, we are in dire need of another one.

You may sit here today and feel that this topic does not pertain to you so you may not care what I say. It may not…. right now. But this issue is only exponentially increasing in magnitude. According to the FBI, there were 8,855 gun deaths in 2012. In 2015 there were 13,471 gun deaths. In the future, if change does not occur this number will continue to grow like a malignant tumor a plaque our society. And by then, I truly believe this issue will affect all of us in some way.

So to you Congress, how many more have to die. How many more have to suffer. For the sake of this great country, please advance past your bipartisan differences and construct a compromise. Create gun reform laws before our country becomes a domestic war zone. Save innocent lives and in the process save the reputation of our country.