Gun Reform and What You Can Do About It

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

With a rise in gun violence throughout America, there are actions that can be taken to curb the tragedy toll.

America has been subject to an uptick in shootings since the beginning of this year. It’s time we walk away from right vs. left and come together to fix a problem that is affecting everyone, everywhere.

Considering the most recent and memorable shootings that have hit the media, Evergreen Highschool in Evergreen, Colorado and the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, a call for the end of violence has been echoed from both sides of the political spectrum. 

So what can you do about it?

Turns out, there’s a lot.

#1: Decide Where You Stand

To make a decision, you first need to understand what you’re making a decision on. You have every right as an American citizen to go and look at what the current gun laws are and whether you agree with them or not. 

There are articles written by reliable sources that give an abundance of information on gun violence both in America and around the world. 

The Pew Research Center has studies you can analyze that give you a better understanding of gun violence and its prevalence in America. If you see these statistics and think it’s a problem, you can do something about it. 

#2: Stay Informed

This is arguably the most important thing you can do if you are looking to make a change in your community, state, country, etc. 

Keep up with daily news, understand how this affects the community you live in, venture out and find the stories yourself. 

There are many sources, but AP News, Reuters and NPR are among the most reliable publications to find your information about international and global news.

If you have a question, ask or find someone who is knowledgeable on the topic of gun control. The first way to make sure you are doing your part is to understand why exactly you feel passionate enough to make a change. 

The Trace is an outlet that dedicates itself to investigating and reporting on gun violence in America. U.S. News has a subject page solely updated about the latest on gun control and gun rights. 

While most big publications have frequent, if not daily, stories on gun control/violence, these are some that post most frequently.

#3: Sign Petitions

Signing petitions sometimes seems like a chore that never amounts to anything, but they have a purpose. This is especially true if you are signing petitions that go straight to America’s elected officials, like the ones made and distributed by Everytown.

This is a quick and easy way to put your name down on paper and commit yourself to a cause you feel passionate about. 

#4: Learn About Gun Safety

Learning about the different types of guns and what wounds from these guns can do to a body puts a mental (albeit graphic) image to what gun violence can lead to. This can lead to giving you reasons as to why you might want to tighten up, or leave alone the gun laws in America.

Go to a shooting range and get taught how to assemble, shoot, unassemble and clean a gun. America has guns, and America will always have guns, but learning how to use one properly can help you feel more educated on the subject. 

#5: VOTE

This is, without a doubt, the most important thing you can do as an American citizen to make the change you want to see in your country, no matter what change that might be. 

One of the most important duties Americans have is going to the polls and voting for what you want to see more or less of in the government. The importance of having an opinion on issues only goes so far if you don’t put your opinions out there and vote.If you take one thing from this article, it should be that you need to vote for what you believe in and what to see. Registering to vote is a quick process and will allow you to help your community by using your voice.