As of Feb. 22, there have been over 80 mass shootings in America. Britannica defines a mass shooting as an event in which one or more individuals are “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area,” implied in this definition is the use of a firearm.
A Short History of gun reform
Over the years, largely as a result of a growing number of mass shootings in America, many citizens have publicly demanded and proposed stricter gun control laws, citing that the majority of industrialized countries have strict gun control regulations, as well as claiming that the second amendment was intended for militias in Colonial America. On the other hand, those who oppose stricter gun-control laws say that it is their second amendment right to own guns and that these guns are crucial to self-defense. While these two oppositions are in their right to both demand stricter gun regulations as well as want to maintain their right to own a firearm, it is evident that there has been a surge in gun violence in the United States.
In the summer of 2022, the Bipartisan Gun Safety Bill was signed into law. This was the first major gun legislation package in almost three decades. What this bill did is it expanded background checks for any gun buyer between the ages of 18 and 21, as well as expanded on other pre-established laws. While this is a step forward in the fight against gun violence, America still is facing an alarmingly growing number of mass shootings.
Most recently, in Tallahassee, Florida lawmakers are pushing to pass the “Constitutional Carry” bill. What does this bill mean for Florida? If passed, this bill would make Florida the 26th state to “allow people to carry concealed loaded guns anywhere without permits.” An important fact to note about this bill is that it will not allow people to carry around concealed weapons they don’t legally own. Like most states, this would be a law implemented by Florida as well, the bill would allow all those who are legally allowed to carry a weapon, however, they will not need a permit to carry a concealed firearm.
FSU Students and Their OpinionS
In the wake of recent mass shootings, one of the most publicized being the Michigan State University shooting on Feb. 13 — just one day shy of the fifth anniversary of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting — the debate of gun control has regrown among the masses.
When asked their opinions on gun control, Florida State University (FSU) students were vocal about the changes they want to see done, as well as their honest opinion on current gun legislation. Owen Howard, a freshman at FSU, said that “Banning guns will do nothing to solve crime” and that those who “want to kill will find a way to kill,” while many others voiced their concerns in favor of stricter gun regulation.
Hannah Grinbank, a Psychology and Editing, Writing, and Media major here at FSU, voiced the following: “Basically, I think that it’s fine if you want to have something like a handgun for home security purposes (as long as it’s safely and properly stored and responsibly owned); but nobody should be able to just walk into a gun store and purchase a military-grade assault rifle, especially not as easily as they’re able to right now. I think we should also perform background checks on people before they buy guns, and they should have to undergo a course on how to use and store their guns safely and responsibly before purchasing.” Many other students voiced a similar concern, “It’s not nearly as limited and regulated as it should be,” said Victoria, a first year.
“We need stricter gun laws,” said Jessica, a second-year Economics and Political Science double major. “I was in elementary school during the Sandy Hook shooting, and my mom was also a first-grade teacher. When the Parkland shooting happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, I was a freshman in [a] high school that was less than an hour away in Miami. Gun violence has always felt sadly too close to home.”
This has been a common experience for most students. Multiple described the lack of strict gun control as “infuriating” and even “scary,” stating that stricter gun control is “absolutely necessary.”
As of February 2023, more children die by gunfire in a year than on-duty police officers and active military members.
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