In the weeks following the Sandy Hook Tragedy, I slept very little. Every time I closed my eyes I saw a classroom full of terrified children, and of course, because it was a dream (thank the Lord) one of those children was always one of my girls. It was awful. I cannot even imagine what those parents are going through.
Soon the dream transformed. No longer were there children involved. It was just me. Me racing to my classroom door to try to lock it in time and failing. Failing over and over again every night. In every single dream, I made it to the door at the same time he did and could not stop him from coming in.
Thankfully, I can wake up from this nightmare every night. There are 26 families who can not. Not to count the tens of thousands of families across America who are mourning the loss of loved ones due to gun violence.
Let me clear....I HATE POLITICS. I never get involved in debates. I don't talk about who I am or did vote for. It is not that I don't have beliefs or take a stand on issues. It is just that I refuse to get into a debate on Facebook or anywhere else that leads me in to an argument with people. Look here! I gots (intentional) three girls. I gots enough drama in my life!
However, I will take a stand on this (and is not about how to make our schools safer. I am saving that for another post). It is this: There needs to be a ban on all semi and automatic weapons. Before you say, well she just doesn't like guns, let me be clear. My father has a huge gun collection. I have shot every kind of gun there is. He made sure that I knew how to shoot a gun. I have shot hand guns, rifles, semi automatic weapons, and have even shot a machine gun before.
I support the right of every American to bear arms. Load up on shot guns and rifles and pistols. But seriously when do you ever need to shoot more than 6 bullets at a time? Even if someone broke into your house, you would only need a few bullets to put a stop to the perpetrator.
Now I know what you are going to say, "Guns don't kill people. People do." You are dead right! There need to be stricter and more effective laws about mental illness. There needs to be more help for people with mental issues. I agree with all of that. But I also think there is no need, except in the military, for assault weapons.
Yes, I know that drunk driving kills more people than assault weapons, but HELLO? didn't we make it illegal to drink and drive in order to prevent it. I know you are going to say, "well they will just get them somewhere", so does that mean we just lay them up there on a silver platter and say "Come and get your assault gun!"
Why wouldn't you want to make it harder for criminals to obtain them? Making something illegal does not stop someone from breaking the law, but it does let them know that it is wrong and there will be consequences. I mean, teenagers are going to have sex if they want to, does that mean that you don't do everything in your power to tell your teenager that it is wrong and that if they are going to choose to do it, they should protect themselves?
That argument of "they will get them somehow" is stupid. People are always going to speed...does that mean that we just do away with speed limits?? No. It means we do a better job of enforcing the speed limits because if we don't someone will die.
Criminals will always try to get their hands on the best weapon that can aid them in commiting their crime in the fastest most efficent manner, but just imagine what would have happen if at Sandy Hook, Adam Lorenzo's mother only had a pistol, shotgun, or rifle. How many times would he have had to stop and reload? How many chances would children have had to escape or heros have had to over take him? How many innocent lives would still be living today?
I am not saying to ban guns. Guns make me feel safe! I am asking, what is the point in an automatic or semi-automatic weapon if it is not to kill quickly and effectively?
