There is no doubt that after what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School here in Connecticut everybody has been affected in some way shape or form. Even though it has already been a month, we are still seeing and feeling the effects. One thing that has changed just recently is in our class every day. Have you noticed the doors locked? This is one action Dodd has taken towards our safety to protect us at school. Another debate that has occurred is Gun Control, which in my personal opinion is very important and very close to home.  If you recall the man who is accountable for the deaths of these innocent children and workers at the school, he stole the firearm. Obviously any man that would do this should not be allowed to have a firearm, and he probably couldn’t get one, that is why he stole it from his mother, who was completely sane. That might not why he stole it that is what I personally believe.

Many people want the second amendment right taken away; which is the right to bear arms. I can’t help but wonder if the people who support this idea , have ever shot a firearm on a regular basis, have learned to respect firearms, learned how they work , how to handle firearms , and how to shoot a firearm. I firmly believe the answer to all of these is not yes, but for me they are. I have been shooting firearms every week at least for over a year. I have learned to respect all firearms in such a way that I doubt anybody in the school could even compare. If I was not introduced to firearm safety I would not respect them. I strongly believe all people should be introduced to firearms so they develop a respect for them .When you tell most adults as a 13 year old girl that you shoot firearms, they automatically believe that you are doing it irresponsibly. That is not at all the case.  Every person that I have met that shoots firearms at the range I go to have such a respect for firearms that most people underestimate. You will never joke around with a firearm and safety is insanely important if you are using them responsibly.

The people that abuse firearms should not be able to shoot a firearm. This seems very obvious to most people. When you buy a firearm you have to present your permit and not just anybody could have one. What you don’t need a permit for is rifles and shotguns.  Instead of banning firearms from everybody, including people who are perfectly capable of handling a firearm, Congress should pass laws requiring a permit to purchase any kind of firearm. Any type of firearm could harm or kill anybody if used in the wrong way. You don’t need to ban firearms because people who do shoot them correctly wouldn’t use them in the wrong way. If people can buy a firearm who shouldn’t be, that is the problem that should be fixed. There are millions of people that use firearms to protect themselves, hunt or use recreationally that would not be able to use them if the second amendment right is taken away. If that is taken away over a million people can’t defend themselves if need be. For somebody like me who shoots recreationally and most importantly to get better, their sport will get taken away. Would you like it if lacrosse , football, soccer , baseball , softball , hockey , basketball and anything else you do would get taken away? It is the same thing here. This isn’t the right answer; instead you should prevent people who shouldn’t be shooting firearms from being able to, instead of not allowing people who should be able to shoot firearms from being able to.

-Mikenzy Golebiewski