Laws must reflect our time
Today we live in a vastly different America than what was envisioned by our Founding Fathers. When I wake up each morning, instead of wearing petticoats, I don skinny jeans, and I travel around in a machine called an automobile rather than by horse and carriage. I am connected to strangers around the world through a digital screen I carry in my pocket. The technological advancements that we have achieved in the 21st century exceed anything 18th-century Americans could have imagined — which gives rise to the question of whether 18th-century laws are adequate for the protection of 21st-century Americans. In some cases, the answer is no. Growing up, I’ve watched the news as unimaginable footage of school shootings flashes across the screen. I see kids my age who are forced to bear loss and emotional or physical trauma that I can’t even begin to fathom.
Where 18th-century Americans might have owned single-fire muskets or rifles, Americans today are able to buy military-grade weapons by simply walking into a gun show. It doesn’t make sense to grant citizens virtually unlimited and unregulated access to a wide range of devastating firearms without protective regulations.
By instituting laws that ban or at least limit the sale of assault weapons, require background checks for all gun purchases, limit the quantity of firearms one person can own and raise the age limit to 21 for gun purchases, we can prevent tragedies from occurring while still respecting an individual’s right to bear arms.
I’ve been inspired by the courage and resilience of my generation, and I’ve contacted my legislative representatives, asking them to vote in favor of gun-reform laws.
There is no reason that owning a gun should be easier than owning a car, and logical steps can be taken to ensure the protection of all citizens while preserving the right of gun ownership to responsible individuals. Our laws around gun control should be revisited to address these issues. We as voters need to take action to prevent terrible, unnecessary tragedies from occurring again and again.
It is common sense that our government should repeal laws that protect gun manufacturers from liability and prohibit research on gun violence as a public health issue.
In the words of Naomi Wadler, 11, who spoke at the March for Our Lives rally in March: “It’s time for the nation to realize that gun violence is more than a Chicago problem or a Parkland problem, but an America problem.”