The Second Amendment to the U.S. The Constitution guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Guns are a part of our lives no matter what people think about them. Guns provide people with safety, self defense, and entertainment. They can also be the cause of injury, death, and grief. People often wonder if there is a solution that can offer the same lifestyle while creating a safer nation.

In the United States, an average of 125 to 132 people die from gun-related injuries each day, according to recent data from public health organizations. “It’s so shocking that anybody can have a gun,” Junior Lia Angermair said. “When you see all the school shootings I just think, how can they allow this. especially since kids aren’t even allowed to drive but they can have a gun.”

Guns are very easily accessed in the United States which is contributing to gun violence. Regardless of the violence guns can bring, they also are an important aspect of life in the United States. They are used for hunting, and for some sporting events. “Every Sunday a group of students go out and shoot guns for fun. We call this [sporting clays] and it’s a sport at St. Andrews,” Sophomore Luke Alston said. “I think that[sporting clays] is proof that there can be guns and no violence. We just need more precautions when distributing guns to make sure we stay safe.” 

Around 15.3 million guns are sold each year in the United States. Stricter gun laws could mean less people have access to guns, but it might be more likely that the wrong people won’t have access to them.  There can be laws that implement a more complex process that can also maintain access to guns for those who absolutely need them. “If arming more people meant that we would be safer,” SA Choral Accompanist Shannon Watts said, “we would be the safest country on earth.”