If we look back at our nation’s tragic events over the past year or so, public shootings have reached the top of the list. Many innocent lives have been lost and measures are being taken to try and prevent such tragedies from happening again.

After each shooting, there is an uproar on how guns should be made illegal. As a result, our Second Amendment right is being questioned, the amendment giving Americans the right to bear arms.

In the colonial days, guns were owned by citizens as a form of protection. There wasn’t any type of real law enforcement, so it was up to the landowner to protect their property and belongings. The Second Amendment also gave the citizens a chance to protect themselves from the government as well. In this amendment’s creation, the goal was to try and keep the government and the citizens at the same level.

If guns are banned, what will stop the government from taking advantage of the fact that citizens are unable to possess the most effective weapon?

The idea is that if people aren’t allowed to have guns, we won’t have to worry about these public killings. This thought seems pretty rational, but people often forget the reasons why these tragic events occur.

More often than not, the gun the shooter possesses, is not owned by the shooter, but is stolen from someone else. The gun used in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting was owned by Adam Lanza’s mother, not Lanza himself. We don’t look at that fact, we just pay attention to someone that used a gun to commit a serious crime.

This strikes panic in people, which leads them to the conclusion that we need to get rid of guns so calamities like this won’t happen. In reality, most people that own a gun, or guns, are law-abiding citizens. Many people use guns to hunt or do recreational target shooting. Banning firearms will prevent people from doing a hobby they enjoy.

There are many gun control laws that are in effect today to help protect people. In Iowa, there are laws requiring a permit to purchase or carry a handgun. In order to get such a permit, you must fill out an application to determine if you will be given a permit. There are questions that ask if you have ever committed a crime or if you have been admitted to a mental institution.

There is also a background check that is run on the permit applicant to prevent someone from purchasing a firearm in the heat of the moment. There are laws in place to make sure that the ones who own guns are law-abiding citizens.

What is often forgotten is that guns are simply a tool like a hammer or screwdriver. All tools have a certain job that they are designed for and guns just so happen to have a lethal one. If we were to make guns illegal, there is nothing stopping others from committing the same crime, but with a different weapon. Anything can be used in place of a gun and that object can be used to commit a crime, kill another person or threaten someone.

People could start going after others with different objects, such as: a baseball bat, knife, golf clubs or axes. Getting rid of guns doesn’t stop violence or murders; it just gets rid of an object commonly associated with violent acts.

Now, the question is, how can we fix this dilemma without violating the Second Amendment? The solution starts with society. It is not the guns that kill people. It is the person pulling the trigger.

There are many causes that can lead up to the point of violence. We live in a society where violence is an everyday norm. From violent video games, to violence in movies and images of war in our media, it is hard to escape. This can make violence seem like a shortcut to resolve disagreements or relieve frustration.

Violence is treated as the path to achievement. The object of some violent video games is to try to kill the most people to get the highest score. Many of these supposed forms of entertainment use a gun as the way to win. The purpose of guns is treated too lightly, which prevents others from understanding the seriousness of firearms.

Not having proper facilities or professional counselors for people with poor mental health is where part of the problem lies. Not having proper funding and facilities prevents people from getting the help they need. When pushed over the edge, there is no knowing how that person will react. By not helping those who suffer from mental health issues, we are putting others and that person at risk.

Having poor mental health isn’t the only thing that can cause someone to snap and use a gun for a lethal purpose. With more and more students being bullied, they sense a loss of control. As a result, they use a gun to regain that control, so they don’t feel powerless.

We need to stop worrying about the weapon that is being used in these shootings and focus more on the people behind it. Most shooters have been pushed to the breaking point and feel that violence is the only way out.

One of the great things about America is the rights that are granted to citizens. The change we need is not hammering down on gun control, but re-imaging society. If we take violence more seriously and are more compassionate towards one another, in time we can make these shootings a thing of the past.