Recent School Shootings in the US.
So far in 2018 there has been more than one school shooting per week in the USA. Shootings near New Orleans and Los Angeles. Shootings in Kentucky, Arizona and Texas. And recently a shooting in Parkland, Florida that has left 17 dead and many wounded. You may have heard on the news Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America, has stated his solution to lower the number of school shootings is to arm school teachers with guns in case of an attack.
This has caused many controversies as many agree and many don’t.
Sandy Hook Elementary School
The Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting is one of the most infamous shootings in the world. It took place in Newtown, Connecticut, USA on December 14th 2012. 20 year-old Adam Lanza shot 20 children between six and seven years old, as well as six adult staff members before killing himself. It began with Lanza stealing his mother’s guns after shooting her in the face, killing her. His mother, Nancy Lanza, was a gun enthusiast and often took Adam to gun ranges so it wasn’t very difficult for Adam to find a gun in his house. How easy is it to get a gun in America?
Unlike the UK, where you need a licence to even own a gun, in America it is as easy to buy a gun as it is to buy bread. Many shops sell guns , big chains like Walmart which is like a Tesco to us, or even little corner stores. There is also markets around many streets in America where private sellers set up stalls and you can walk away with a gun in the space of five minutes. Any one of any age can walk into a shop and purchase a gun and some states even allow students to carry guns on campuses. The National School Walkout On March 14th 2018 at 10.am, students, faculty, parents and supporters from around the world will walk out of school for 17 minutes, one minute for each life lost in the recent Florida School Shooting. They will protest against gun crime and some schools will even have speakers at the walkout. They will demand that Congress take action on gun control and help make their schools safer.
UK Gun Laws Gun ownership in the UK is far lower than in the USA. On average Britain has 6.5 guns per 100 people whereas America has 101 guns per 100 people. The last mass school shooting to occur in the UK was The Dunblane Massacre which took place at Dunblane Primary School near Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland. It occurred on the 13th March 1996, when Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 children and one teacher before killing himself. After the horrific event, public debate focused on gun control laws, including public petitions calling for a ban on private ownership of handguns. In response to the debate two new Firearms Acts were passed, which banned private ownership of handguns in the UK. After the Dunblane shooting there has not been a single school shooting in the UK since, this has made many people think, why can’t America do the same?
Gun-related deaths unfold in tragic circumstances across the country daily, with more than 1,800 people killed by guns this year alone. There are more public mass shootings in America than in any other country in the world. Gun violence in America follows a ritualized playbook. Shootings happen, outrage is expressed, debate occurs, preventive ideas are suggested. Then the backlash begins. And nothing happens. Unfortunately a mass shooting every week is becoming normal. However, thankfully we will never experience these tragic events and could never imagine fearing for our lives by simply sitting in our classrooms. We hope to never have to experience anything like what America experience daily. Gun control laws would help the country greatly and could save thousands of lives.
