I know this opinion is probably going to stir up more conversation than most that I have written. After all, Americans love their guns. 

I want to preface this by saying that I am in no way stating that all guns should be taken away and Americans be stripped of their constitutional right to bear arms. I’m just not. I’m not saying that you can’t go hunting or go to a shooting range for some target practice. I’m not a huge fan of guns; personally, I would never own one, but if you’re a responsible gun owner then so be it. 

What I am saying is that we need to ask ourselves when enough is enough when it comes to gun violence and mass shootings. In light of the recent shooting at the Chiefs parade, I think this conversation is more than warranted. 

When do we start incorporating solutions to combat these issues? There is more that we can do in response other than say “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” and move on. To me, the statement feels like a cop-out to actually combating the issue. 

Despite the decline from its pandemic-era surge, gun violence numbers are still nowhere near where they were pre-pandemic. I think most of us can agree gun violence maintains its status as a significant problem in this country. Among high-income countries with populations over 10 million, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reports the United States ranks first in gun homicide rates. 

In 2022, 19,592 people died by gun homicide; 38,576 sustained injuries from willful, malicious, and/or accidental gunfire. For 2023, the number of total injuries, although reduced, came in at an alarming 36,388. 

Children are also no stranger to gun violence. It is estimated that 3 million children in the US witness a shooting each year and firearms have surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for American children and teens. Everytown Research reports that children and teens ages five to 14 are 21 times more likely to be killed by a gun, and that the rate increases to 23 for those ages 15 to 24. 

Gun violence also inevitably brings up the topic of mass shootings, which, in its most conservative definition, is a shooting where four or more people are shot and killed or injured, excluding the shooter. While mass shootings may only account for a small portion of incidents, it doesn’t make them any less of a problem.

The Trace, an online newsroom focused on reporting gun violence, indicated that between 2013 and 2023, mass shootings increased over 150 percent in the US. 656 mass shootings occurred last year, killing 712 people. In comparison, the death toll for the 255 mass shootings in 2013 was 279. 

Since Jan. 1 of this year, there have already been 55 mass shootings in the US based on numbers from Gun Violence Archive. We’re not even 55 days into 2024 yet. 

We should have taken more action on combating gun violence yesterday. Even with five states passing gun legislation last year, it’s not enough and there’s still no federal legislation that takes aim at the issue. 

We know what we can do– expand background checks, increase access to mental health resources, enact mandatory waiting periods before possession, and create common sense legislation for assault weapons and high capacity magazines just to name a few–but will we act on it? 

It just seems like gun violence is more of a political talking point to ramp up votes in elections than it is an actual action piece, especially at the federal level. 

Regardless of what your stance on guns is or what actions you think should or shouldn’t be taken on guns, one thing is clear: America has a gun violence problem and it seriously needs to reevaluate its response.