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Hello, my name is Edward van der Merwe and this is my Op-ed. My Op-ed specifies on my opinion on gun control and attempts to speak to the reader, in order to convince them. I am most proud about my intro, as I believe it hooks the reader and tells a story that will connect the reader to the opinion of my piece.

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How to fix the largest threat to security in the United States… Guns

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How to fix the largest threat to security in the United States… Guns

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You may have one of those memories where you immediately know where you heard something on the news or saw it, like 9/11, when everyone froze in their tracks and stared at the TV for hours in shock. Like the retiring of a sports player like Andrew Luck that shocked the world. Or the death of someone important like Koby Bryant. This occurred for me when I heard the news of the Parkland, Florida mass shooting on February 14, 2018. This tragedy resulted in 17 dead, and 17 wounded, among these were children and teachers.  This news shook me to the bone, as I felt connected to these kids because I am a student just like them. I couldn't believe something like this could occur in a country where I thought I was safe, the country that people immigrated to escape violence. My first thought was, how could something like this happen? That quickly changed as I realized the man attacked the school with an assault rifle. I was filled with repugnance. The assault rifle gave him the ability to carry out this mass destruction. I realized at that exact instant that something needed to be done about guns in the US. But, how could something like this change?

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I found the answer in gun control, the regulation of firearms. This could solve the problem of America's security, as in other countries like Australia, gun control was immediately implemented after a mass shooting, which worked like a charm. The last mass killing in Australia was in 1996, which was also the date that they implemented gun regulation. This is the polar opposite of the US, as firearm sales are at an all-time high. This is why the United States has just as many guns as it does people. This plethora of firearm sales also results in eight times the amount of firearm-related deaths compared to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. This is unacceptable, as thousands of innocent people die of guns every year, and all that needs to be done to stop it are a few regulations that prevent the purchase of firearms. These deaths are unjust and uncalled for, that's why gun control needs to be implemented, as it has been proven to work.
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However, some people are not willing to change and believe that gun control and other regulations would be dangerous. Especially if guns were removed from the hands of the average citizen. A man who believes this is John R. Lott Jr, an active gun enthusiast. He once stated, “The problem with such [gun control] laws is that they take away guns from law-abiding citizens, while would-be criminals ignore them.” This may be the case, however, it would be much more difficult for a criminal to obtain a gun if they are in low quantity, and it has been proven that if guns are used in self-defense, the chances of a death skyrocket, as the unveiling of a weapon could cause something to become violent instantly. This counteracts Lott's claim, as guns are rarely used in self-defense by a citizen, so if they were removed not much of a difference could be made, and if guns were removed criminals would not be able to acquire them.

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Furthermore, according to a survey taken by 16 8th grade CMS students, 67% said that the average citizen should not be allowed to carry a gun. This demonstrates that more than 65% of average students would preferably eradicate guns than have them remain a threat to the US.  According to a recent interview, Henrik Schreiner, a student currently studying guns who is knowledgeable on the topic stated that "We never know if the purchaser is someone with evil intentions, and if we see from their record that they have a violent history, you should not allow that person to have a gun." Instead of allowing these people to have a gun and possibly cause mayhem and slaughter, a law could be instituted that prevents this and allows for more sanctuary in the country.

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So, now you grasp that the only way to increase safety in the country is through gun control laws, as if these are not implemented, the way of rampage, death, and mass shootings will continue. The only way to implement these ideas is through us, the next generation, as we will soon have the power to change this for the better.