*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Her Campus or Her Campus at VCU.
Following the mass shooting in Las Vegas, during which gunman Stephen Paddock killed at least 58 and injured over 500, many are yet again calling for stricter regulations on gun purchasing and ownership in America.
According to police, Paddock was able to smuggle 24 weapons into his Mandalay Bay hotel room, contributing to a total of 47 firearms which he was harboring in three separate locations. But how was Paddock able to procure this many weapons? Surely, no one with good intentions could ever need this many guns – right?
Statistically speaking, it’s actually not that farfetched that Paddock was able to fly under the radar. Roughly two percent of Americans own a staggering 50 percent of the country’s guns, which averages to about seventeen firearms per gun owner. In Paddock’s case, 33 of his guns were purchased just within the last year. Why wouldn’t this trigger any red flags?
This question is one of many that have gone unanswered by America’s government throughout the years and have consequently caused frustration amongst those who want to see an end to mass shootings in the country. Clearly, “thoughts and prayers” have not been enough to put an end to these violent tragedies. As demonstrated by numerous other countries, stronger gun control is, at the very least, a step in the right direction.
So why is it that many of those on social media who spew “positive vibes” in the wake of mass shootings are so opposed to enacting real change? They insist that it’s too soon to be having political discussions, or that it’s disrespectful to the victims of that week’s mass shooting. In actuality, it’s quite the opposite. True disrespect to the victims would be to allow the same evil that took their lives to continue to take others.
According to one data set, there have already been 347 mass shootings in 2017 – and it’s only October. So when is the proper time to talk about gun control? Is refraining from change really about honoring the victims? Or is it just a cop-out used by those who care more about their false interpretation of the 2nd Amendment than they do other humans’ lives?
As most people should be able to agree, the detrimental pattern of mass shootings in the United States has got to stop. But thoughts, prayers, good vibes and other empty sentiments of vague sympathy, are hardly more effective than ignoring the issue altogether. What America needs is action, reform and citizens who are willing to fight for real change.
Each day that we find ourselves content with inaction will be another day that this somber tweet continues to ring true: