Say No to Guns
By Donna Zamora
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Did you know 12 children die from gun violence everyday, while 32 are shot and injured, making guns the leading cause of death among children and teens in America. Between 2017 and 2022, there has been a 417% increase in the number of school shootings. At this rate, the U.S will surpass a record-breaking number of 306 school shootings, a record that was set in 2023.
With all the shootings, 61 of 100 US Senators have spoken out on stricter gun control laws. Ron Wyden, U.S Senator of Oregon spoke out on the recent shootings taking place and then demanded the Senate should act upon the following bills: Background Check Expansion and Completion Act, Gun Violence Prevention Research Act, The Safe Gun Storage Act, and Ethan’s Law.
(Graph shows the large increase in school shootings from 1970 to 2023, with a particularly sharp incline in recent years)
Background Check Expansion Act would expand federal background checks to sales or transfers of firearms by private sellers. Background Check Completion Act would make a “no check/no sale” rule for firearm transfers by closing the Charleston loophole. The Charleston loophole allows gun sales to proceed after three business days, even if the background check was not completed.
Gun Violence Prevention Research Act would authorize $50 million in funding each fiscal year for the next five years to study firearm safety and gun violence prevention.
The Safe Gun Storage Act would establish gun locks and safes. These devices would keep children, individuals who pose danger to themselves or others, and unauthorized persons from gaining access to firearms.
Ethan’s Law would reduce access to unsupervised firearms often used in suicides, shootings, and other acts of violence, inspired by 15-year-old Ethan Song who died after accidently shooting himself with a gun that had been left in a cardboard box at his friend’s house.
(Graph shows the large increase in school shootings from 1970 to 2023, with a particularly sharp incline in recent years)
While these acts and laws won’t end gun violence, they at least will make getting the guns that are killing children harder, which will save lives. Maybe 2024 will be a turning point and guns - a completely avoidable danger - will no longer be the leading cause of death among children.
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