As modern day news sources and social media outlets point to gun violence as the antagonist in our population’s tragedies, our nation becomes more and more weary towards firearms. These terrible attacks against humanity infuriate me, and I assume, everyone reading this article as well.

While the common mental attitude towards firearms is that they kill, and that by banning certain guns, or limiting the size of magazines, these issues will reside, I ask you to open your minds and consider my argument on why this is not the proper solution.

I am a freshman at Gloucester High School. My relationship with guns is strong. Guns are something that are prevalent in my life. I have spent lots of time learning about, practicing with, and using guns.

I first was exposed to firearms when I was four or five years old. My father would put into plain view a locked, unloaded firearm. My routine was if I ever saw one I would remember the lines “Stop. Don’t touch. Leave the room. Tell a grown up.”

This exposure was my first example of learning about firearm safety. The next step was to memorize the 4 gun safety rules that my father would quiz me on occasionally.

1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never allow your muzzle to cover anything you’re not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are aligned on target and you intend to shoot.
4. Be sure of your target.

When I was seven or eight I had my first real exposure to practicing gun safety. The local gun club right up the road from O´Maley loaned my father a .22 caliber bolt action rifle.

My dad and I would spend a few hours a week practicing carrying one through the house safely, loading, unloading, chamber checking, and showing clear over and over. From this point on, I became comfortable enough with a gun to safely fire one at the range,  which brings us here today.

My goal thus far has been to show that I have years of firearm experience, gun safety knowledge, and practice. I believe I have a reason to speak about firearms not only because of my relationship with guns, but because of who my family is.

My father, a state police detective, LAPD Gang unit trooper, and ex-marine, has had frequent exposure to firearms. In fact, he scored and achieved the highest grade you can get on every course he took in the Marines. He is now a homicide detective in the state of Massachusetts.

My relationship with guns is something I hope to keep with me into the future and for my kids someday. I am not imposing on others that they must own guns, but I want my family to have it’s right to bear arms.

In the past, there have been worse tragedies in than what we have in modern day society. An obvious example is the Holocaust. Run by Adolf Hitler, his goal to exterminate those he viewed as inferior and take over the world began with him disarming his citizens. In fact, he is quoted as saying, “This year will go down in history as the first time a civilized nation has full gun governmental registration. Our streets will be safer, our police will be more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future.” Hitler’s gun registration, which sounds complicated, meant actually turning in your firearm.

In the Constitution, firearms were something for us to have not just for sport, but to have an armed militia of our own citizens in the case of a tyrannical government, to protect ourselves, our families, and our nation.    

While it is true that, in the wrong hands, a gun can kill innocent people, it is also true that guns don’t kill people and that people kill people. This is a very common argument. Spoons don’t make people fat, bikes do not cause skinned knees, and boxing gloves do not cause wounds. These are all examples of how it is not the object or tool, but its the person behind.

I believe that if gun control really worked, then it would be a very acceptable way to save lives. It is also very tempting thing to believe that if we stop people from owning guns, then the problems will stop.

In truth, we’ve seen that this proves otherwise. We have seen that with drugs, their outlawing has stopped law abiding citizens using these substances, but there are still drug abusers.

This is why outlawing certain guns will only stop law abiding citizens from using guns. Gangs and other criminals who plan on committing crimes anyway will not be fazed.

Instead of hiding from guns in the future, I believe we should encourage our 2nd Amendment and embolden people to train safely and use firearms lawfully. This will truly keep our streets safer, and build our country on trustworthy, independent men and women.

Thank you all very much for reading and considering my beliefs.