Alyssa Alhadeff, 14; Scott Beigel, 35; Martin Duque Anguiano, 14; Nicholas Dworet, 17; Aaron Feis, 37; Jaime Guttenberg, 14; Chris Hixon, 49; Luke Hoyer, 15; Cara Loughran, 14; Gina Montalto, 14; Joaquin Oliver, 17; Alaina Petty, 14; Meadow Pollack, 18; Helena Ramsay, 17; Alex Schachter, 14; Carmen Schentrup, 16; Peter Wang, 15.

These are the names and ages of the 17 students and teachers whose lives were taken entirely too soon as a result of the tragic events that took place on February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman-Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

I write these names this not as an attempt to stoke the flames of debate involving conflicting views on gun control, but rather to explore some common sense questions and simple, yet seemingly unreachable, solutions.

The AR-15 (ArmaLite) rifle has been utilized in numerous mass shootings over the years, resulting in the slaughter of many lives.

That being said, while the gun may have been used as a medium for the killing, it is important to remember that it was a human being pulling the trigger that murdered these innocent men, women, fathers, mothers, children.

However, any sane individual must also agree that the semi-automatic rifle used in this and so many other recent shooting provided the power to carry out these horrendous acts.

Instead of simply offering “thoughts and prayers,” as we have done after Columbine, Sandy Hook, Pulse, Las Vegas, I would like to discuss possible actions that could provide a deterrent to the ability of these gunmen murder so many, so quickly.

I call for the banning, or strict regulation, of the AR-15 rifle and weapons like it.

As someone raised in a Christian home with a firm belief in the second amendment I’m positive that the previous sentence will anger more than a few people. I completely understand why one would feel the need to possess such a weapon as the AR-15. However, (hypothetically speaking, as I do not currently own any type of ArmaLite rifle) if I did own an AR-15 and the call was made to turn it in, the choice would be an easy one:

I would do it.

Because my right as an 18-year-old American to own a rifle used in over half of the deadliest mass shootings in recent American is not as an important as anyone else’s right to live and feel safe, whether it be dancing at a nightclub (Pulse Night Club, 49 killed), going to the movie theater with your friends and family (Aurora Colorado, 12 killed), living it up in Vegas for a country music festival (Las Vegas, 58 killed), or studying for your future that you should ahead of you (Parkland Florida, 17 killed). 

The shooters in each one of these tragedies carried an AR-15.

While I understand that these weapons do not have a mind of their own, and this proposal is not by any means all we should do in response to these acts of terrorism, stricter regulation or abolition of certain weapons designed specifically for the intent of the stealing of another human beings life, hopes, dreams, and family, will hinder the killing efficiency of these shooters by forcing them to compromise for a less lethal weapon or, at the very least, a slower one.

While the assessments and discussions on how to handle this ongoing crisis continue to be the talking points of many political forums, there is no denying that it is a problem.

We, as a people, deserve the reaffirmation that we can study in the library without glaring constantly over our shoulders. Our parents have earned the right to see us grow as people and not have to live in fear of another massacre.

Wherever you stand on the issue please be open-minded to the idea that whether you would care to admit or not, this rifle in the wrong hands has proven to be so efficient in its primary goal to end the life of whatever unfortunate soul stands before it, that we must do whatever we can to ensure that unfortunate soul won’t be another future cut short as a product of stubbornness. Thank you for reading and please keep an open mind. God Bless.