In the wake of the massacres in Parkland, Florida and Santa Fe, Texas, the people of the United States are as passionate as ever about protecting what’s important to them. Whether it’s protecting civilians or the Second Amendment, Americans are willing to fight for their cause. These school shootings have opened the eyes of many Americans to the horrors of gun violence and have ignited a fire within the souls of many to put restrictions on the deadly weapons. This impulse frequently happens after tragedies such as this one; however, the passion often quickly dies out, and nothing changes. Calls for gun control have gained momentum since the shootings, and it’s essential to make sure that these actions continue until something changes. If we allow these tragedies to slip from our minds, we will continue to live in a world in which we never truly feel safe.

This mission is imperative in order to protect the lives of ourselves and our loved ones. In the past month, our country has come to the realization that anything could happen at any moment. It’s a constant, vicious cycle of looking over your shoulder, never knowing if you’ll return from your trip to the mall, your day at school, your visit to the movies. Americans are being killed. Data shows that this year we have lost 5, 531 people to gun violence. Those 5, 531 lives are undeniably so much more important than the right to a weapon, and we have to fight for that. If we don’t, then that number will only grow, and, horrifying as it is, one of those numbers could be someone close to you. Here are five ways that you can keep the issue relevant and make a difference.

1. Write letters:

Contact people in powerful positions and convince them to do something. In your letter, provide evidence, show your passion, and be persistent. Write to everyone you can think of, and maybe you will inspire someone in our government to make a difference.

1. Educate yourself:

You have to know what you’re talking about if you want to fight for it. Know the facts so that if you find yourself in a debate, you can back up your claims. In addition, you should have specific ideas of what you want to change. Some examples include decreasing magazine size, raising the age that you can buy a gun from 18 to 21, enforcing stronger background checks, and banning bump stocks.

1. Discuss the issue:

Keep the issue relevant. Bring it up as often as you can without being obnoxious. Allowing people to forget about the issue is the worst thing we can do, so share your knowledge, educate your peers, and don’t let anyone forget that we need a change.

1. Use social media:

We have the amazing gift of technology right at our fingertips, and we must use it for good. The use of social media is another way that you can keep the issue relevant. Share credible information that you think is important. You never know whose feed something you post will pop up in, and your post could inspire them to pursue knowledge and educate themselves on the issue.

1. Don’t give up:

Causing change is not an easy feat. It will take persistence, determination, and passion. The most important piece of this mission is not losing hope. If we quit, then the issue will be forgotten, the massacres will continue, and we will lose more lives. Keep faith and don’t stop working for change. The world needs you to fight now so that we can have a better future.

Source:

http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/