Did you know that in Washington, DC, just this year, over 200 people have passed away due to gun violence? The problem with gun violence has been going on for far too long, and I believe that we, as the families of victims and as people, should come together and put a stop to gun violence. Due to gun violence, people in the District are dying at young ages; additionally, families are experiencing loss and despair, which in turn causes generational trauma. Therefore, Congress should ban weapons in the United States that have the highest weapon kill rate and should enact an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO).
First, Congress should ban weapons in the United States that have the highest weapon kill rate. Currently, ABC News reports that there are about “20 million assault rifles in the United States.” An assault rifle can fire “30 or even 100” bullets “that can eviscerate multiple people in seconds” (Kirkpatrick, Mirza, and Canales). Assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons fire at rapid speeds and allow the shooter to kill many people in seconds. Too many lives are ended in an instant with these types of guns; therefore, the government should ban these types of weapons.
Secondly, Congress should enact an ERPO. According to Johns Hopkins University, an Extreme Risk Protection Order, or ERPO. An ERPO is necessary when law officers or family members “may petition the court to temporarily restrict a person’s access to firearms when they are at elevated risk of harming themselves or others” (JHU.edu). This is very helpful because it can reduce the number of killings drastically. According to research by Columbia University, “5% of mass shootings are caused by severe mental illness.” Additionally, 25% of shootings are associated with “neurological illness, including depression,” and 23% of mass shootings are caused by people who abuse substances (Girgis). The role of mental health in gun shootings cannot be disputed, and families need a way to be able to report suspicious or dangerous behavior before more lives are lost. With the help of the government, as well as family members of potential perpetrators, we can begin to prevent gun violence and save lives.
Some people argue that owning a gun is their Second Amendment right; however, what they don’t really realize is that owning a handgun for personal protection is different than owning semi-automatic weapons and military-grade-style weapons. The Second Amendment to the The U.S. Constitution states, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” It is legal to have a firearm for security reasons that are not military, but people who have military-grade weapons tend to use them carelessly, causing unnecessary deaths. I believe that if we take away military-grade weapons and hold people accountable when they use them carelessly, we can significantly decrease the death rate all over the world. We must continue to address the issue of gun violence because each and every life lost matters.
Gun violence is a pervasive problem, not only in DC but in the United States. By banning weapons with high kill rates and by enacting ERPOs, our nation can begin to heal from the traumas that plague our communities.
Works Cited
Girgis, Ragy. “Is There a Link between Mental Health and Mass Shootings?” Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, 7 Dec. 2022, www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/mass-shootings-and-mental-illness.
Kirkpatrick, Nick and Atthar, Mirza. “The Blast Effect: How Bullets from an AR-15 Blow the Body Apart.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 27 Mar. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/ar-15-damage-to-human-body/.
Shapiro, Emily. “The Type of Gun Used in Most US Homicides Is Not an AR-15.” ABC News, ABC News Network, abcnews.go.com/US/type-gun-us-homicides-ar-15/story?id=78689504. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.
