November 13, 2015, 130 people were murdered along with 328 injured in Paris while enjoying a Friday night out with friends and family. A few weeks later, 18 people were murdered in San Bernardino, California, while attending a banquet for disabled children. These two attacks, like others, have raised the debate whether we as Americans need to increase or decrease public access to guns.
President of Liberty University urged students to carry a concealed weapon with them on campus in order to reduce the mass attacks like San Bernadino. “I’ve always thought if more good people had concealed carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in,” Jerry Falwell Jr. said. Along with Falwell, Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore posted a digital Christmas card of her family on Facebook; however, Fiore’s card doesn’t just say Happy Holidays. The card displays her, along with her nine relatives, holding a variety of military grade guns. Along with the photo, Fiore added a caption saying, “It’s up to Americans to protect America. We’re just your ordinary American family. With love and liberty, Michele.” Following her post, 6,933 people shared her controversial picture along with 6,487 likes and 107 comments.
Obviously, Americans are responding to not only Fiores post, but to Falwell as well. “We, as Americans, should be able to own guns, but with limits, such as background checks. Each citizen must be mentally stable and be in possession of a license in order to have a gun,” Sr. Sam Modrzynski said. Students, like Sr. Max Garcia, who plan to pursue a career in the military have a stronger opinion. “I believe all Americans should be able to purchase and own firearms. People are allowed to do so because of the second amendment in the bill of rights, which allows people to own firearms,” Garcia said. On the other hand, many other Americans don’t agree with Modrzynski and Garcia.
Opposing the view of Fiore and Falwell are those who believe having access to a gun is too easy in the United states. Shortly after the attacks, President Obama addressed his condolences in his weekly address, “We know that the killers in San Bernardino used military-style assault weapons — weapons of war — to kill as many people as they could. It’s another tragic reminder that here in America it’s way too easy for dangerous people to get their hands on a gun.”
“There are too many guns in the hands of people that shouldn’t have guns,” Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said. “There is too much gun violence in America.” McAuliffe said.
When the shooting occurred, several presidential candidates offered their condolences and made a statement clarifying their thoughts on the violence in America. “This is another example of gun violence that is becoming all too common in communities large and small across the U.S.,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. “While there is no piece of legislation that will end all violence in this country — there are some common sense things that only Congress can do that we know would have a tangible impact in reducing gun violence in this country.”
When will we, as citizens of the United States of America, get tired of the mass shootings causing friends and families to live in fear? It’s too easy to get a gun in the United States, we should be able to have guns but the requirements to get a gun should be more rigid,” Sr. Jason Reyes said. “It’s easy to get a gun,” Jr. Brandon Tieng said. “Those who have a gun should know where the gun came from and what it’s used for. There’s a reason why military grade weapons are in the military,” Tieng said.
There will always be two sides to the controversial topic whether we, as Americans, should be able to carry concealed weapons with us as we go about our daily lives. For now, the only thing we can do is encourage peace within our nation and unite as one country under God.