By Kade Knuffman

As of February, 2024, there are more gun related deaths in the US than in any other developed country in a year’s time. So far there have been 48 mass shootings in the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Gun violence is a developing problem in America. There are more guns than there are citizens: there are 120 guns in citizen possession (excluding police and illegally sold or manufactured firearms) per 100 people, according to Small Arms Survey. That is more than double the amount for any other country, and with our huge population size, that statistic only becomes more devastating. 81% of murders take place with a firearm. There were 20,958 gun related murders in 2021 alone. In 2023, over 40,000, more than half of which are suicide related. There is a general upward trend of gun violence in America. It’s become an epidemic. 

This whole time, while an estimated 128 people die per day via guns, the gun industry is thriving. In 2022, Smith and Wesson, one of the most known gun producers, known mostly for their handguns, made $864.1 million. 

A tragic example of gun violence was the shooting in Kansas during a Super Bowl parade on February 14, resulting in one dead and more than fifteen injured. The shooter, (currently unknown, but there are suspects) said to have been aggravated by a conflict, opened fire onto a crowd. Victims are as young as six years old. Carrying firearms is permitted in Kansas and multiple people possessing firearms were arrested and are currently suspects. However, there is no definitive saying whether or not one of these men is the shooter. This is a prime example on why firearm restrictions are so important. In Kansas, anyone above the age of 18 can purchase and carry a gun in public without a permit.

That is outright absurd. Once a person turns 18, they can purchase and brandish a firearm for practically whatever purpose they decide, consequences included. But it shouldn’t be that way. You shouldn’t have to worry about if the man who just bought a gun is going to use it maliciously.

It’s a public danger to allow people to buy guns and carry them around. California is one of the states with the strictest gun laws. California is also one of the states with the fewest gun related deaths annually. 

The saying goes “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”. This holds some weight, as without the shooter, these deaths wouldn’t happen. However, with easy access to firearms, people have easier access to methods of executing such crimes. 

Not only are guns a prominent factor in society, they’re glorified in the media. Songs, movies, shows, any media portraying guns in a light that is not negative is doing active harm by instilling thought processes into people’s mind (especially impressionable people, such as children), and puts the thought in their mind that guns are an everyday, day-to-day, no-big-deal item that is casually used. Games such as Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto have almost glorified shooting and guns. Such media has mainstreamed violence and it holds impacts on many. 

There is no objective solution to these problems. Eradication of guns from public life is extremely unlikely. Stricter gun laws reduce revenue from gun manufacturers, which in turn, defund the politicians whose pockets are lined by such manufacturers, to which both groups oppose for their monetary concern. Lobbying groups such as the NRA (National Rifle Association) pay politicians to pass pro-gun laws, or allow bills that help gun manufacturers produce more guns for cheaper and with less restrictions. At the end of the day, they’re making money off of blatant murder. 

Hopefully by the end of March, there will be a Students Demand Action chapter at Centennial. SDA is an organization catered towards high school and college students, that advocates for gun safety, provides information, and gives platforms to survivors. It is an organization with chapters all across the country, with various resources to take actionable steps to raise awareness and help with gun violence prevention. Be on the lookout for that in the coming future and visit their site for more info.