Argumentative Essay On School Shootings In The United States

The United States government and its citizens are in a mutual agreement regarding freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; however, in certain areas, this agreement has not been truly upheld. Citizens of the United States have undeniable rights such as equality, the right to life, and freedom; however, these rights are not being preserved when it comes to school shootings. Jefferson’s assertions of safety and happiness are not being fulfilled as school shootings are an obvious violation of these rights, as they endanger the lives and safety of numerous teachers and students like myself.

Narration

The Declaration of Independence asserts that since the power of the government comes from the consent of the people, the citizens must “alter

give up certain freedoms for protection and support from the government. Likewise, the government also gives up certain liberties to protect the citizens. However, with the lack of action taken on the federal level concerning school shootings, this agreement has undoubtedly not been upheld. Two principles mentioned in the social contract are security and happiness. Although these principles may be maintained in other areas of life and government, happiness and security surely do not represent the government's dismissive attitude toward school shootings. Although the federal government has been slow to implement reforms, it is important to note that many states have taken action on their own. For example, Colorado has passed laws that prohibit individuals with a history of domestic violence from purchasing firearms, a measure that was previously dismissed by the federal government. However, the fact that every single citizen in the United States is not equally protected from firearms seems demoralizing. Not to mention, the U.S. has the highest rate of school shootings compared to any other country in the entire world. No other country has had as many school shootings ever compared to the U.S. Our country appears as the most powerful entity in the world, yet it seems nearly impossible for change to occur to protect the lives of children and teachers. Frankly, school shootings do take place in other countries, but the difference in frequency is how legislation is handled after these devastations. For instance, 16 children died in a Scottish school in 1996 when a man opened fire there. As a result, they have banned firearms in Britain. In Germany, a gunman shot and killed 16 people in 2002 at his old school. As a result, they now have stricter gun regulations. In Germany, the government prohibited fully automatic firearms and individuals under the age of 25 must pass psychological testing. As