Mass shootings are occurring at exorbitant rates all across our nation. Over the weekend of Aug. 31, 22 lives were brutally taken in a shooting spree in Odessa, Texas. The West Texan gunman, identified as 36-year-old Seth Ator, opened fire after being pulled over on the Interstate 20 highway for a routine traffic stop when his erratic driving was reported to the police. Ator quickly drove away from the scene, shooting drivers and pedestrians as he fled. Shortly after entering a movie theater parking lot, Ator was shot and killed by police. It is suspected that he would have continued his shooting spree inside the movie theater had he not been stopped. 

I cannot comprehend how our nation has been unable to take adequate steps to address the horrific gun violence that plagues our nation. I cannot comprehend why thousands of Americans are in constant fear of gun violence affecting themselves and their loved ones. I cannot comprehend the apathetic manner in which our elected leaders have acknowledged our dire situation. 

We have seen time and time again that thoughts and prayers have no effect. Elected leaders repeatedly provide tweets, press conferences, and interviews paying their respects to victims of shootings. Texas Senator Ted Cruz has offered his ‘thoughts and prayers’ multiple times to Texans who have faced tragedy. Yet these leaders still refuse to take the necessary steps against gun violence, which continues to occur at unimaginably high rates.

Actions will always count more than words. We have seen this mantra at work dozens of times in the past. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed an act banning assault weapons and restricting high-capacity magazines. Gun violence dropped dramatically, falling by almost 37 percent. While this ban reduced deaths due to gun violence, it preserved the Second Amendment by still giving Americans access to guns. Until it expired in 2004, Clinton’s act ensured that there was no infringement on the Constitution while reducing the risk of gun violence. 

A majority of Americans admit we have a serious issue with gun violence, but our elected leaders have not effectively addressed possible solutions. A day after the Odessa shooting, Texas passed laws loosening gun regulations. The new laws allow gun usage in schools, places of worship, foster homes, and apartment buildings. Why are we going backward? Proponents of the new laws claim that people would gain more opportunities to defend themselves. However, the United States has the highest estimate of guns per civilian. It is not a coincidence that we, as a nation, experience more gun violence. The combination of an abundance of guns and loose regulations is lethal. According to NPR, the United States experienced “4.43 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017 — far greater than what is seen in other wealthy countries.” More guns result in more violence, but this fact is not being dealt with adequately. 

Extensive background checks would help immensely with scoping out dangerous people who attempt to purchase a gun. It baffles me how after thousands of mass shootings, there are still civilians who oppose background checks. While I am not saying that background checks are the perfect solution, they can help lessen the number of gun-related deaths. According to a 2001 study in California, “Californians convicted of violent misdemeanors who had been denied a gun sale by the state’s background check system were less likely to be re-arrested for a violent or gun crime than people with similar criminal histories who were not denied.” It is important that guns are not placed in the hands of dangerous individuals, as their ability to take lives is made easier due to the nature of guns.

Mental health also plays a significant role in gun violence in America. For example, the Sandy Hook shooter, who gunned down children at an elementary school in December 2012, struggled with mental illness. Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who shot and murdered 17 high school students in Parkland, Florida, reportedly struggled with depression and had even engaged in self-harm and underwent a psychological evaluation. Although unconfirmed, Ator’s brutal murders last month are thought to have been a result of a downward spiral that only worsened when he was fired by his manager at his oil service job that same day.

While mental illness does not plague every shooter, we must acknowledge the effect it has on many of them. Access to quality healthcare and mental health care is critical to addressing this. Increasing access to booking appointments with counselors or therapists, capping prices on medications, and ensuring that mental healthcare is covered by insurance are just a few things that could greatly help those who struggle with mental health issues. Most of the aforementioned solutions would require an increase in funding for statewide and even federal healthcare, but attacking the root of gun violence includes fixing our broken healthcare system. Additionally, as a society, fighting to destigmatize mental health issues can greatly contribute to this fight. Doing so makes affected individuals more likely to step up and seek help. Feeling ashamed for struggling with a mental illness is unfortunately far too common in the United States. If we display that it is okay to struggle with mental illness and to reach out for help, we can help individuals heal.

I am in no way calling for a complete ban of guns or for guns to be taken away from law-abiding citizens. However, we must take preventative measures to address our gun violence problem. There is simply no other way. Background checks, in addition to increased access to better mental healthcare, is the start to reforming our country. 

We are all entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Liberty should not mean being in a state of constant fear as many Americans now live in. Future generations should not have to live in fear of being gunned down in schools, places of worship, or even their own homes. We must treat the Odessa shooting as a serious issue and acknowledge it constructively. Our nation is ready for a change.