Content Warning: This article mentions suicide. If you or anyone you know needs mental health support, reach out to Teen Line by calling 800-852-8336 or texting “TEEN” to 839863 if you are a teenager, or call 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. 

A staple in my childhood was Sundays. I adored Sundays. There was always a sunny sky and a cool breeze. The farmers market was packed, but most importantly, there were gun control rallies. One Sunday a month, I participated in gun control protests with Moms Demand Action, a nonprofit organization founded by moms across the country working to end gun violence. From ages 4 to 9, I protested with my mom, demanding action.

My mom is the biggest advocate for gun control I know. She started working with Moms Demand Action in 2013 after the Sandy Hook shooting Dec. 14, 2012, where 20 children and six adults were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Since then, there have been 950 school shootings in the U.S. alone, according to NPR. My mom did not just want to get involved herself, but she wanted to teach me how to decrease gun violence and work towards a safer environment for children and adults.

Growing up, I was never allowed to have water guns, Nerf guns or, simply, anything that resembled a gun. I thought this was my biggest struggle. I wasn’t allowed to play with my friends who had these toys and often felt like the odd one out. At such a young age, I didn’t realize how wonderful these small steps were in making me who I am today.

When I was 11 years old, I attended summer camp. The only available activity left was to practice shooting. Even at 11 years old, I refused to touch the gun. I would not go near it, and I went as far to sit outside the shooting range waiting for my friends to finish. I made my point at such a young age and helped convince others of the dangers of shooting guns, even at a range.

The missed water gun fights and battles with Nerf pellets taught me to be anti-gun. I learned the importance of not only staying away from guns but advocating for gun control reform and teaching others why gun control matters. Now, I am here to teach you.

According to NPR, 100 people and 12 children are killed every day due to guns. Not only are mass shootings the problem, but 9 out of 10 people will die after attempting suicide with a gun, and 54% of all gun deaths are suicides. According to CNN, children and teens are more likely to die by guns than anything else.

We often hear, “Guns are used as a form of protection.” Yes, this can be true in some cases, but less than 1% of people actually use their guns to defend themselves in a violent crime, according to NPR. Additionally, background checks still do not serve as a solution.

According to ABC NEWS, background checks intend to stop people with criminal records, addicts, people with mental illnesses, those who are undocumented, those discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces and subjects of domestic violence protective orders from purchasing firearms. These background checks have numerous loopholes, including federal law allowing the transfer or purchase of guns at gun shows, online and at private sales.

 Additionally, in a federal law that aims to protect domestic abuse survivors, there is a “boyfriend loophole.” The “boyfriend loophole” stops domestic abusers who were married, lived with or share a child with their ex-partner from buying firearms. This does not stop domestic violence abusers who only dated their ex-partner from purchasing guns. In 2021, more than 17,000 people reached out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline saying firearms were a part of the abuse they endured.

The many flaws of background checks are just one example of how easy it is for violent people to buy guns and other weapons. With more than 13.8 million guns being manufactured in 2021, more lives will be lost to suicide, mass shootings, domestic abuse and murders. After the Christchurch massacre in March 2019, New Zealand banned all semi-automatic weapons. After the thousands of mass shootings just in the last nine years, you would think the U.S. would do something to limit the number of assault weapons in the country. Why does it take one mass shooting for New Zealand to ban all semi-automatic weapons, but after 192 mass shootings just this year, there have still been very few gun control laws passed?

So what can you do? To end gun violence, we need to propose and rally for laws that prevent guns from getting into the hands of people who might misuse them, stop the manufacturing of military-style automatic weapons and provide physical and mental support to those impacted by gun violence.

Gun violence can only end once we work together. Maybe more people should use their Sundays to march to end gun violence.