Dear Mr. President:

In the past, when tragedies happened, I’ve been too young to understand them. But not this year. Every new day offers a chance to change the future. But what happens when someone else decides they’re going to change someone’s future for them?

August 5, 2012. Oak Creek, Wisconsin. On this bright Sunday morning, members of the Sikh temple were exercising their right of freedom of religion. There was a bang. And then, the future was changed forever.

October 21, 2012. Brookfield, Wisconsin. On this beautiful fall Sunday morning, ladies flocked to Azana Salon and Spa for a relaxing massage and a new haircut. But instead, there was a bang. And yet again, the future was changed.

People make decisions every day, and I think one of the most important decisions you have to make is on the issue of gun control. Even though the murder rate has gone down in recent years in the United States, according to the Washington Post we are still the most violent country in the world.

In the aftermath of these tragedies, most of the gun laws are accurate and necessary. But I do not believe loosening background checks before a person buys a gun or being able to sue a gun manufacturing company if someone is murdered is okay. I think it was intelligent to pass laws that allow people to concealed carry with a license, so that the citizens of America can protect themselves.

The second amendment was part of the Bill of Rights because the Founding Fathers thought it would be a necessary part of society’s foundation. Being able to protect yourself and your family is the number one priority.

My thoughts on gun control are based off of what I think this country was founded on. If a person passes a tightly secured background check, they should be able to use a gun for protection. If that person needs ammunition, they should have to go to the store to get it instead of being able to purchase it online. A person that begins to act differently, as if they might try to harm someone, a system should be put in place to decide if their gun should be confiscated. Radcliffe Haughton, who was responsible for the Azana shooting, had been described by his father as acting differently right before he shot seven people. If a system was in place, maybe the shooting wouldn't have happened. The Washington Post states that the number of people that own a gun in the US is declining. So you should encourage more people to get a concealed carry license to be able to protect themselves outside their home.

Guns can take away or save lives. It all depends on the manner and situation they are used in. There is a delicate balance and a very thin line between making it easy for families to get a gun for protection and making it easy for a killer to get one.

CNN quotes Mitt Romney on the fact that these strict gun laws can’t prevent people from getting a gun somehow. But I believe there is a way to enhance gun laws so they can at least be a bigger obstacle.

Thank you.