Middle Ground

In the wake of recent debates, fights, mass murders, and assassinations, the American people have had quite the stir up related to gun control. But are guns the issue here, or is it mental instability?

The American people cannot seem to reach a middle ground when it comes to guns but we need to look at the stats. In 2024, about 44,000 gun related deaths were reported, 27,600 of those were suicides. If we look at gun related deaths in children (ages 1-18), there have been between 2,200-3,500 deaths reported. In 2023, 63% of those deaths were a result of assaults, 29% were suicides, and 5% were accidental. If we take a closer look at that scarily high percentage of 63% and we take into account the school shootings and assassinations and/or attempts in recent times, you will see that these numbers do not paint America as a particularly safe place for our children.

Are guns really the sole issue here? The answer in inconclusive.

Personally, I do believe this is a mental health epidemic. Judging based on the shooters who’ve been convicted of school shootings they all seem to have this ‘everyone is against me’ mindset. The victim complex within these individuals is too complicated for me to even begin to understand.

The Parkland shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had a motive to absolutely ruin Valentine’s Day for the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas HIgh School because he simply felt “unloved”. Nikolas also displayed alarming behavior prior to the mass shooting. Psychologists confirmed he suffered from severe mental and emotional issues and perceived social rejection.

The Sandy Hook shooter, Adam Lanza, displayed his own mental health issues including anxiety and OCD. He very deeply isolated himself from others as well as had a morbid obsession with mass murder, leading to him killing his own mother and then unleashing a firearm upon an elementary school.

In conclusion, the violence that has taken place in this country is truly disturbing and I’m not sure if it will ever come to an end if we don’t get our heads out of our asses. Wake up America, we need to act now.