The Change I Hope to See

By Sophie South, Co Editor-in-Chief

The following is a letter I wrote for a AP language class to Representative Guthrie over the recent events that have taken over the news:

To whom it may concern,

My name is Sophie South; I live in Alvaton, Kentucky. I am a student at Greenwood High School, and I am a future constituent in your district. Recent events in the news involving school shootings around the United States have motivated me to look further into gun laws, specifically Kentucky’s.

While researching, I have noticed that it is very easy to purchase and own a weapon without having it registered or having a permit. I believe we should require American citizens to register their weapons, as well as receive a permit to own them. I also believe that it should be required to take a safety class on how to properly use any firearm.

Currently in Kentucky, you must be at least 18 years old to purchase a gun. According to Gun.Laws.Com, residents of Kentucky can buy a firearm from any licensed dealer, manufacturer, or shop for one in another state. I continued to learn that gun owners aren’t required to register their weapon or purchase a permit for a firearm as well, which includes giving citizens the right to own a rifle or shotgun without a permit.

On the other hand, you do have to own a license and must be 21 to apply and own a concealed weapon, while also having to go through a safety training course to use the specific weapon which would be concealed. It should be required to take a safety class to learn how to use any type of weapon that you can legally purchase.

Making the course a requirement would give new gun owners information on how to properly use the weapon, how to take care of it, and what to avoid while owning it. It would also be beneficial to create a law requiring Kentucky residents to register their weapon while purchasing them.

According to Breitbart.com, Awr Hawkins explains how Senator Dianne Feinstein is trying to pass a “National Firearms Act,” which is where citizens can purchase and own a gun, but it is required to register the weapon. Pursuing this idea would keep track of how many weapons are purchased, which citizen owns a firearm, and what specific gun each citizen owns.

The safety of the residents in Kentucky is a top priority of the government, especially educators after the recent events around the country. Requiring gun owners to register their weapons, to purchase a permit, and to teach a safety course for buyers would help save lives from these deadly casualties that have taken place.

I hope these recent events have opened people’s eyes to the reality we are living through, and hope government officials can find a solution that can resolve most of this controversial issue. Thank you for your time and for your work for our beautiful state.

Sincerely,

Sophie South