On March 17, seven people were shot in the 700 block of North Madison Street in Stockton.
The gunmen fired off more than 80 rounds from a passing vehicle, according to media reports.
The drive-by shooting left three of the seven victims dead.
“It freaks me out, I don’t want to be one of the random people who gets shot,” Delta College student Cassie Grismore said when asked about the shooting.
America has a long history with guns, but with recent gun-related headlines, the control of firearms is an issue that needs to be addressed.
Are the current gun laws enough? Are they effective?
California is known for having some of the strictest gun laws in the country.
To legally purchase a firearm a person must 18-years old, or 21-years old for handguns, mentally stable and never convicted of any felonies to submit an application.
Then a purchaser must wait 10 days before the gun is released.
However, there’s still a problem with gun violence in this society.
People are still killing and dying.
Gun control advocates argue more needs to be done. We should have more restrictions and regulations.
Gun rights advocates argue more restrictions and regulations do nothing solve the problem.
Criminals will still find a way to get their hands on guns.
Perhaps both sides can be right.
We obviously need to do something to fix this problem, but no matter what we do, bad people will still do bad things.
Our focus needs to shift from the gun to the gunman.
Nowadays it’s not just criminals who are unnecessary shooting people, cops are as well.
On Aug. 9, 2014, Officer Darren Wilson fired 12 shots at Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was hit by six of those bullets and died at the scene.
Early morning on Jan. 1, 2009, Officer Johannes Mehserle shot Oscar Grant III in Oakland. Grant was laying face down and handcuffed when Mehserle fired the fatal shot into his back.
In both situations officers fired at and killed unarmed civilians.
We need to find a way to reach out those individuals pulling the trigger and taking innocent lives.
These individuals must be taught how to solve problems without violence.
Because many confrontations are caused by misunderstandings, communication tactics can help calm the situation before it gets out of hand.
Being able to express your side of the argument can facilitate a nonviolent ending.
It’s also important to try and understand the other person’s point of view.
A better understanding can help you keep control of the situation, preventing it from escalating.
We have to teach people to value and respect life, and promote a sense of community.
The Second Amendment 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.”
Our founding fathers knew how essential the gun was in the creation of our nation, and believed that it was just as important for our future.
Unfortunately, that future becomes a lot shorter when bullets are flying through the air.