Recently, there was another mass shooting in the United States with more than fifty people dead, excluding ones injured. Two years before, there was a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School with twenty-seven people dead. The fact that there has been so many mass shootings in the US creates an obvious cry to those seeking justice for their loved ones. So how, some cry back, should the US prevent more mass shootings from happening? The United States should prevent future mass shootings by installing harsher punishments for misusing firearms, making stricter laws on obtaining gun licenses, and regulating gun distribution.

By installing harsher punishments for misusing firearms, the US will be able to keep more people in check. Some mass shooters only get a “small” amount of years for shooting up a building as compared to people caught dealing drugs. People who misuse firearms need to face the just consequences of their actions and be punished for harming others due to their irresponsibility. When someone kills another, there is no excuse to their actions. Letting those kinds of people off with a light sentence prompts them to do it again, due to the light nature of their punishments.

The US should also make stricter laws on obtaining gun licenses, so they can make sure that the people receiving firearms will use them responsibly. Too many people with shady mental histories are able to get their arms on weapons that can take human lives in an instant. Like Australia and South Korea, people need to undergo detailed evaluations in order to obtain and own a firearm. Even more, South Korea requires people to renew their licenses with the same vigorous evaluation from the first time. Compared to the US, the policies of South Korea and Australia can seem “strict” or “harsh” to people who own firearms in the US, but it keeps people safe.

Lastly, the US should really crack down on the distribution of firearms. In some states, it is really easy to obtain a gun, even without a proper gun license. Some are dealt on websites like a casual online garage sale and some are legally sold by stores made specifically for selling guns. The fact that people can obtain guns so easily in the states compared to other places like Australia magnifies a factor in the US that contributes to mass shootings. In order to protect its people, the US must manage the things people use to harm them.
The US needs to do something about its gun control. It is not a statement, but a fact. Too many mass shootings have happened in the past and have seeped into present day. Soon, people who are “pro-gun” will have someone they love taken away from them. Actions against firearms may seem “over-the-top” for “progressive” America, but maybe it’s only because it’s been too lenient for so long.