Great Britain has not had a single school shooting since 1996 due to their strict gun control program, but unfortunately during that period of time until the present the United States has had more than 420 school shootings. What is America’s excuse? 

The Second Amendment was written in “the ages of the musket,” and the Second Amendment should not be applied to today’s assault weapons ownership.

Restricting access to firearms is the only thing that will work to control school shootings, yet the Republicans and National Rifle Association continue to make the argument that the only answer to a “bad guy with a gun” is “a good guy with a gun.” 

One recommendation for school safety is to have professional guards at schools and arm teachers and staff. In one survey, 73% of the teachers did not want to bear arms or be armed in any way, and rightfully so. There are so many ways that a student can find a way to access a weapon in a classroom, and it is unlikely that a teacher can shoot an active shooter.

After every shooting some say that only if we would take care of the mentally ill these shootings wouldn’t occur. We do need better mental health care just as we need better gun control, better school security, and not so much hate spewed, which activates anger in different forms, one of which is to harm with a gun. Until the United States has gun control these needs will not be accomplished.

The UK has had zero school shootings since they changed their gun laws restricting high-caliber guns and private gun ownership. Gun violence in the UK is now among the lowest in the world. Most of the British politicians listened about gun control and acted, as opposed to the United States politicians who have been dragging their feet for years thinking that their toy is going to be taken away.

The million-dollar question is, “What is America’s excuse for not having gun control?”

Lois Eisenberg

Valencia